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TigerValley98

Grizzly Ridge Plans

This is the map of Grizzly Ridge that opens in 2013. I also placed on the map an orange box to represent the location of the new aviary which is not on this version of the map.

Grizzly Ridge Plans
TigerValley98, 28 Mar 2012
    • TigerValley98
      This is the map of Grizzly Ridge that opens in 2013. I also placed on the map an orange box to represent the location of the new aviary which is not on this version of the map. I saw another version of the plans when they had the blueprints out for bids. The aviary will have a lower portion with two sets of doors and a path. The upper portion on top of the holding building will have two sets of doors and a tree house.
    • jusko88
      Thks for the map tigervalley!!!! This exhibit is going to be great for this small zoo. It looks amazing for each species of animal. alot of room in each exhibit for each animal.I loved my visit to the akron zoo last summer.
    • team tapir
      These maps have been removed from the fences along the hillside that is to become Grizzly Ridge.Staff has informed us that due to trouble with the construction contract these plans might have been slightly modified.It is the hope of most at Akron that only minor changes have been made.Several things that we heard from a number of different individuals that the raccoon exhibit has been cut and that the aviary is going to be a renovated North American version of the old aviary.Grizzly Bears,Black Bears,Red Wolves,Bald Eagles and North American River Otters are all still thought to be confirmed species for Grizzly Ridge.

      Team Tapir
    • TigerValley98

      @team tapir - I am not surprised about the aviary remaining in its current location. There are native birds living in it presently. It really just needs an upgrade and they could easily extend the walkway around the back of the Don Drumm restrooms to make an exit if they want to. The big question related to this will be now 'What will go in the location of the former coati island if the aviary does not?' I do not think that the raccoon exhibit is any major loss in my opinion. Raccoons are too common in this area for anyone to be that upset that many people. They need to use the resources that would have been used for this exhibit and renovated the former gibbon exhibit. That is a project that needs to be solved soon. I hope they add restrooms instead. The original plans did not have public restrooms. It did not have any permanent concessions or gift shop either. There will be a gift cart though. These construction projects always have changes, so there is no surprise in that. Komodo Kingdom was to have an outdoor Komodo dragon exhibit along with the indoor exhibit after all. There is suppose to be a coyote exhibit beside the red wolf exhibit. I hope this will remain because I do not know of a zoo in the region with coyotes. I know there will be a new waterfowl pond because that is what the water retention pond was going to be used for. I am looking at the Spring 2012 newsletter and the zoo's President & CEO L. Patricia Simmons mentions the Grizzly Ridge will feature a dig site, a tree house, and the otter slide. These are all on the original map. There was suppose to be a tree house in the upper level of the new aviary. It was suppose to extend out from the upper level deck which is actually the roof of what was to be the bird holding building. I can see the tree house remaining here, but I hope they would put something in this area instead of keeping it as grass. It might be they have come up with another idea for this area. We should hear soon since construction begins this summer once the plans are completed. Perhaps something will be displayed at Journey's members preview. If they want to, they can replace the raccoon exhibit or the new aviary that was planned with any evicted residents from the Toledo Zoo Aquarium that may fit in Grizzly Ridge. I know it is a long shot, but I can have dreams after all. I will let you know when I learn anything more.
    • TigerValley98
      The Akron Zoo's architects, Hasenstab Architects Inc, has launched a portfolio page on The Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge.

      Hasenstab Architects, Inc. | The Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge - Hasenstab Architects, Inc.

      Here is the map of Grizzly Ridge the architects have posted on the page linked above.

      [​IMG]

      Hasenstab Architects, Inc. | The Mike & Mary Stark Grizzly Ridge - Plans

      This map includes the aviary that was proposed for the site. It also contains other differences such as the eagle exhibit in a different location. The other exhibits have also been modified. I should add that this plan for Grizzly Ridge matches the plans they were taking bids for after the first of the year and not the one that was posted at the zoo when it was announced.
    • zooman
      This looks great, however it could have been amazing for all animals concerned if the wolf, coyote and the bears outdoor enclosures could have rotated, the enrichment opportunities would have been significant.

      [or is this the thinking as suggested by the thread "you know you belong on zoochat", if you think you could have designed a enclosure better than the zoo"]
    • TigerValley98
      The more I compare the map I posted in my last post and the map the plans they asked bids from I have noticed the following changes:

      • the bear building has been modified
      • the tree house in the aviary is in a different location
      • the location of the red wolf and the coyote off-exhibit yards have been changed
      • the coyote exhibit is larger
      • the raccoon exhibit is removed on both of these plans because they changed it to an enclosed porch exhibit area where keepers will bring out native animals at set times and talk about them
      • the bears will rotate exhibits from time to time, the grizzly bears are most likely to be in yard #2 because they will have underwater viewing

      From looking at the all of the versions of the plans, I wonder if these are close to the final plans. This is a new website for Hasenstab Architects, so I would imagine they would most likely post a more recent plan for the area.
    • TigerValley98
      The bears will swap exhibits from time to time. I am not sure about the red wolves and the coyotes, but the zoo has started to do this more. They are ready do this with the lemurs and let one of the snow leopards in the jaguar exhibit when it is too cold for the jaguar. The reason that the exhibit was designed the way it was is because it is being built on the side of a steep hill. The red wolf and coyote exhibits and the aviary are located on the middle section of the hill. The waterfowl retention pond is at the lowest lever. The other exhibits are either toward the top or at the top of the hill. The path path along the water retention creek bed keeps getting higher and higher even past the exhibit. The zoo has taken advantage of not being flat in all of their additions.
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