Perhaps it needs a big ol' pointless lever you can pull? Like, it technically is less convenient than the elevator just... working, but it might communicate "this is a thing you can interact with."
Why was the STUN mechanic removed, without it on tough enemies like the sabertooth and Werewolf you just die and if feeling frisky lose that feeling and just get angry and feel like your playing Rage game where the enemies are harder then they need to be... and i wish the "Pouncing" contest room wasn't removed... other then that the improvements on the village are GREAT!