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2003-06-25
Alcoa Foundation Contributes to Zoo's $1.2 Million Expansion
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Children's Enchanted Forest Officially Opens
The Children's Enchanted Forest, a $1.2 million expansion of the petting zoo area, formally opened Tuesday.
Officials at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden hope the Enchanted Forest will increase attendance as the city proceeds with a bond to start a major overhaul of the facility.
The Parks Board is holding a special meeting at 8 a.m. today at the C.K. Newsome Center to consider a bond that includes funding for the zoo, the new soccer complex and refinancing of an existing bond for The Victory theater.
Evansville Mayor Russ Lloyd Jr. said the city will request consideration of a 31-year bond of $28.5 million, but the final approved bond probably will be for less money and a shorter repayment duration.
Lloyd said about $2.9 million will be needed to help finance the soccer complex and about $8.5 million for a refinanced bond for The Victory.
That will mean $15 million to $17 million for the first phase of major improvements to the city zoo, he said.
A consultant recently offered a revised zoo master plan that called for a new entrance, an entry building with gift shop, cafeteria, conference room and offices, a South American Tropics Building similar to a rain forest and a new lion exhibit.
The price tag for those improvements was $17 million. Further upgrades are to occur as money is available.
The city recently refurbished and renovated the Monkey Ship exhibit and added bumper boats for children.
The Enchanted Forest exhibit may mark the last major zoo project until the improvements financed by the bond.
Vectren, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, Mead Johnson Nutritionals and the Alcoa Foundation provided major contributions to the Enchanted Forest exhibit.
David Crouch, general manager of administration for the local Toyota operation, said the new exhibit is an "area for creating childhood memories that will last a lifetime."
The Enchanted Forest includes net-climbing playground areas a water spray area, exhibits of otters, monkeys, macaws, coatimundi raccoons and other animals and the existing petting zoo.
Zoo Director Dan McGinn and General Curator David Ruhter said the otter exhibit, which includes and underwater tube that children can enter to watch the otters up close, has beenpopular.
The zoo has two female otters a little over a year old, and hopes to bring in two male otters next year, Ruhter said.
A decade ago, otters were so easily available that breeders stopped breeding the animals, and today zoos find it difficult to obtain otters, he said.
McGinn said American Zoo and Aquarium officials put Mesker at the top of the list of zoos wanting otters because Mesker recently regained accreditation from the national organization.
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