Was attendance high or low??? » Toronto Zoo

Was attendance high or low???
29-10-2008

After Quartz posted the link to 680News' blurb on the poor attendance at the zoo this summer (Toronto Zoo blames economy for poor attendance numbers - Headlines - News - 680News - ALL NEWS RADIO), the zoo has come out with their own press release countering the report:
http://www.torontozoo.com/pdfs/2008_Success_Release.pdf

Through the summer, the monthly reports showed the zoo to be doing well for attendance ... there were many days with long line ups for Stingray Bay, and although there were not as many people through the exhibit as they had hoped (based on early reports), I think the zoo still sees (not just reports) the exhibit to have been a success. FYI, the rays have all gone back to Florida.

Most concerning for me is the paraphrasing from George Mammoliti:
"Councillor George Mammolitti, who's on the board, says he's working to get a panda visit for the zoo, soon and he's planning a trip to China to make it happen."

With all of the recent talks of budget cutbacks, over-the-top councillor spending, and the problems with the Zoo Board being an old boys' club, this seems like a flagrant disregard for the city's (and zoo's) financial situation (... and A panda!?!?!? That'll be great ...)

30-10-2008

There would be zero attendance woes if giant pandas were obtained by the Toronto Zoo, but then again there is still Adelaide, Oakland and Edinburgh ahead of them on the "panda waiting list".

30-10-2008

The stingrays were definetely a success in my books! I helped run the Breakfast with the Stingrays program in the mornings, and all the dates from May till August were booked within the first couple of weeks! We actually had to add additional dates, and even then there was a waiting list. As to the lower attendance rate, I suppose people are still wary of stingrays. Steve Irwin is the obvious one, but there was also a woman who died in the Florida Keys as a result from being hit by an eagle ray...conveniently in March 2008, just before Stingray Bay opened. Just my two cents STINGRAYS ARE AWESOME!

01-11-2008

actually it says "a panda visit" which could mean any number of pandas

01-11-2008

I noticed that to, with the two news reports for attendence. To be honest even with the cutbacks the Eurasia Renos will not include much, nothing to waste money on anyways, which is why I think that there is a 75% chance we will get pandas! And that will increase attendence, just like when the pandas visited a while back for 4 months

17-11-2008

Wild times ahead for T.O. Zoo | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun

Lengthy, informative article that is a great read and highlights the fact that attendance is down 9% this year. There is currently so much turmoil at the Toronto Zoo that I'm beginning to wonder how it's going to be all sorted out, but the possibility of giant pandas and $250 million in funding are the combined lights at the end of the proverbial tunnel. When I visited the zoo last summer I was impressed with the sheer size of the grounds and animal collection, but the place is packed with old, outdated pavilions and desperately needs that quarter billion push towards a significant renovation of 30 year-old sections of the zoo.

17-11-2008

The Toronto Zoo should ask the US government for their own bailout package.

19-11-2008

lol,all to true