Wolfeboro’s Park 'N Ride Trolley will be 'Jolly'

WOLFEBORO — Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus confirmed the rumors around town that Wolfeboro is expecting a second trolley next spring, revealing that the new trolley’s name will be “Jolly the Trolley.”

“Ho, ho, ho! Yes, it’s true,” said Santa with his signature jolly laugh. “Molly the Trolley’s family is adopting a brother for Molly, and Mrs. Claus and I couldn’t be more pleased with the name. Ho, ho, ho!”

Speaking on behalf of the Wolfeboro Trolley Company, Kathy Fairman Eaton confirmed the news.

“Ever since we announced plans to do a Park’N Ride shuttle with an additional trolley next summer, folks have been asking, ‘Will it be a boy or a girl?’ and most of all, ‘What will you name it?’

“Of course, we knew it would have to rhyme with ‘Trolley,’” Fairman Eaton went on to explain. It was her four-year-old grandson, Rory O’Meara, who suggested “Jolly.”

“We started at the beginning of the alphabet and when we got to the letter ‘J’ we stopped. ‘That’s it, Grammy!’ he said. ‘It has to be Jolly, just like Jolly Island!’”

There is, in fact, a Jolly Island on Lake Winnipesaukee, and Kathy’s family has been vacationing there every summer since 1893.

“We very much appreciate the support and encouragement we’ve received from both the Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen and the Governor Wentworth Regional School Board with this project,” she said. “This is a fine example of another public-private partnership, this time involving three entities: the town, the school district, and local business.”

Wolfeboro selectmen approved the Wolfeboro Trolley Company’s request for a sign at the entrance to McManus Road on South Main Street, directing people to the Park’N Ride location in the Kingswood Arts Center parking lot.

The Governor Wentworth Regional School Board voted last month to allow the Wolfeboro Trolley Company to use the Arts Center parking area for the summer shuttle service when school is not in session.

The shuttle will run every half-hour from Kingswood to the railroad station and dockside, starting at 8 a.m., with the last trip back at 5:45 p.m.

Molly the Trolley will continue her narrated Hop On-Hop Off Tours, but she will no longer go all the way to Kingswood Regional High School. Eaton said she and Molly are still working on adjustments to Molly’s route and schedule, and expect to have news about that soon.

Wolfeboro businesses will receive information in January about opportunities to purchase a sign on “Jolly the Trolley.” Those who already have a sign on “Molly” will have first pick, “but we anticipate there will be space for additional advertisers as well,” said Eaton.

“This is how the business community can join our public-private partnership and make the shuttle a success,” she added.

Revenue from sign sales will support the cost of purchasing, insuring, operating, and promoting the Park’N Ride shuttle.

For more information, contact Kathy Eaton at 603-569-1080.