Earth Month Press Conference to Debut Nassau’s Energy Efficiency Gift to Bushnell Park

(April 19, 2023, Hartford CT) The Bushnell Park Conservancy (BPC) is pleased to announce a recent donation from Nassau Financial Group that has allowed BPC and the City of Hartford to begin energy-efficient upgrades to the Carousel and its building. This $50,000 gift will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 25, at 11:30 a.m. at the Carousel, with remarks from Mayor Luke Bronin and Vernon Young, Nassau’s Chief Risk Officer and executive sponsor of the company’s Green Team.Student volunteers from Hartford’s Fred D. Wish Museum School and members of the Nassau Green Team will be mulching trees in the park beginning at 10:30 a.m. in honor of Arbor Day, April 28. Following the brief press event, the Carousel will be open for free rides for the Wish School students and the public from 12 to 2 p.m.Nassau’s generous contribution to BPC was used to improve and upgrade the wiring system that powers the 1914 Stein/Goldstein Carousel and install new, energy-efficient LED lights. These improvements will dramatically lower energy costs incurred by the city and enhance the beauty of the Carousel, which has been enjoyed by thousands every year since it was moved to Bushnell Park in 1974.“The Bushnell Park Carousel is an integral part of the Park, and maintaining its continued usage is a priority for BPC and the City,” stated Tom Baptist, President of the BPC Board of Directors. “We are thankful for our corporate partners who help us invest in keeping the Park vibrant for the community to enjoy.”“We are very pleased to continue our support of the Bushnell Park Conservancy and its efforts to increase energy efficiency. This project is a perfect match for Nassau and our employee Green Team, which focuses on environmental stewardship and sustainability. We are also looking forward to bringing our employees and Wish School students together to volunteer in the park before the press conference,” Young said.During the month of April, BPC will host community volunteer opportunities, activities for children with the Hartford Public Library, a vendor fair, and more. Additional information is available at bushnellpark.org. About the Bushnell Park CarouselThe vintage 1914 Bushnell Park Carousel was brought to Hartford from Canton, Ohio in 1974 by The Knox Foundation. Jack Dollard, director of the Foundation at the time, and an architect in the city, thought the horses would symbolize Hartford’s restoration. The carousel’s 48 hand-carved wooden horses and two lovers’ chariots that swirl around a booming Wurlitzer band organ. This Carousel is one of only three carousels designed by Solomon Stein and Harry Goldstein still in existence.About Bushnell Park & the Bushnell Park ConservancyBushnell Park was the first publicly funded park in the country, approved by Hartford voters on January 5, 1854. It is named for the Reverend Horace Bushnell, who advocated for a public park in the center of the city as a place for people of all ages and walks of life to have a place to play, relax and enjoy. Bushnell Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.The Bushnell Park Conservancy is a private, non-profit organization established in 1981 by a group of concerned citizens working to improve the condition of the Park’s landscape and landmark sculptures. BPC is dedicated to the protection, preservation and enhancement of Bushnell Park and works collaboratively with the City of Hartford. Since its founding, the Conservancy has raised more than $10 million for capital improvement projects.About Nassau Financial GroupBased in Hartford, Nassau Financial Group is a growth focused and digitally enabled financial services company with three distinct and closely connected businesses: insurance, reinsurance, and asset management. Nassau’s community engagement program provides financial commitments and volunteer service support to more than three dozen nonprofit organizations each year. For more information, visit nfg.com.