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Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion, Speculation & Questions 2019

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by FunkyGibbon, 1 Jan 2019.

  1. AmbikaFan

    AmbikaFan Well-Known Member

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    Lol. I'm sorry, but what's a VPN and where does one find it? Thank you for responding!
     
  2. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I was not advocating a new monorail. I don't like the cable car idea much either: the route would not be flexible and there could only be two stops to avoid a lot of stopping and starting - exactly the same problems as the monorail system.
    The idea that has occurred to me is that it might be possible to build a new wide bridge, with very gentle gradients, more or less following the line of the monorail across Flag Lane. It could start from Jubilee Square, go across the corner of the old lion enclosure (which will soon be empty), over the canal and islands, over Flag Lane, then through Miniature Monkeys to reach the path where you could choose to turn left towards Islands, or right going between the Monkey Islands and what will become the Flamingo Aviary to reach the new entrance to Grasslands. That would of course replace the Bats' Bridge and it would replace or reshape the smaller cheetah paddocks, the children's ropewalk and at least one of the Miniature Monkeys enclosures, but it would be able to carry a lot of traffic, including vehicles, and provide better views of some of the enclosures. It could take some of the pressure off the Elephant Bridge too.
     
  3. J C

    J C Well-Known Member Premium Member 5+ year member

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    A cable car system can have multiple stops on it as at Alton towers had 3 and most ski resorts gondolas stop at the top bottom and middle of there mountains, they are also continues movement systems with passengers getting on board as the move at slower speeds in the stations unlike trains monorails where you wait for them and have long periods of people getting on and of
     
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  4. SMR

    SMR Well-Known Member

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    What about... reviving an old idea and going back to water-buses? Adapt the old one in East Zoo and create a new one in West Zoo that joins up with the canal system in Islands.
     
  5. leiclad20

    leiclad20 Well-Known Member

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    Ive just been reading about the sentosa monorail in Singapore. Its only 2.1km with only 4 stations, so not dissimilar to the sort of size CZ needs. The sentosa one cost a whopping S$140million to build - £82 million.

    If small monorails serioustly cost even a quarter of that much in think they're out the running. Shame, because CZ's geography makes a monorail the most ideal solution in principle.
     
  6. SHAVINGTONZOO

    SHAVINGTONZOO Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Walk if you can walk.

    Use mobility aids if you can't.

    Sorted.

    ;)
     
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  7. AmbikaFan

    AmbikaFan Well-Known Member

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    You're lucky there that Chester is so flat with no steep gradations. My home zoo is NZP, which is so steep that mobility scooters aren't safe. This has made the need for a "people-mover" more necessary than in most places, but in twenty years, they've come up with no real proposal except a tramway, which keeps being voted down. You're lucky there to have so many more options, like the canal boats, open-air trucks, or even old-fashioned miniature trains. Why exactly was the monorail deemed unable to perform it's function?
     
  8. Woodbine

    Woodbine Well-Known Member

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    On the topic of mobility and Chester Zoo, I was appalled to see the latest change to parking when I arrived today.
    Anyone wanting to park in the first few rows of the car park (the whole of the original tarmacked area) now has to pay £5 for what is described as 'priority' parking. (I assume and hope this doesn't apply to those with blue badges in the disabled parking bays - though presumably anyone with a blue badge arriving after the marked spaces are full would have to pay for a 'priority' space if they wanted to park close to the entrance.)
    I suffer with arthritis in my spine and neck, though not severely enough to qualify for a blue badge under current stringent rules. So now it seems that not only do i have to endure increasing pain while visiting the zoo, but I'm penalised for needing to park close to the entrance as a result.
    This seems to me blatant profiteering on the part of Chester Zoo, who already charge a high amount for entrance tickets. We're members, and have been for years, but for those buying full-price tickets for the day and needing to pay this extra cost on top because of mobility issues like mine this is an an absolute disgrace I think!
     
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  9. Zia

    Zia Well-Known Member

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    This has been discussed at length here:
    Chester Zoo now charging visitors to park closer to entrance [Chester Zoo]
     
  10. Sheather

    Sheather Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    It's a paid service that gives you an internet address from another country. I have used ExpressVPN to watch the show on the UK website. It's $12 a month. I only had it for a month, might get it again later this year.
     
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  11. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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  12. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Interesting to see a picture of the Duchess of Kent at the official opening. Not, as pulished in Z Magazine, Princess Margaret. She never came to Chester Zoo. Royal visitors to Chester zoo are

    Prince Philip, The Princess of Wales, The Duchess of Kent, Prince Andrew and The Queen.
     
  13. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I remember a CZN with PP and GM on the front cover...opening of...?
     
  14. AmbikaFan

    AmbikaFan Well-Known Member

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    The monorail article mentions that it only covers about half of the Zoo's now-expanded 123 acres. It seems one could still have excellent viewing of all the grounds due to the lack of tree canopy, which makes many sky-rides like San Diego more of a way to traverse the park than actually see anything. I quite think I would have enjoyed it.
     
  15. jde7582

    jde7582 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I wonder if leopards could be included for the new extended area of the zoo where the new lion enclosure is, and would fit with the zoo's conservation areas.
     
  16. JamesB

    JamesB Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hope this is an OK place to ask this, does anyone have any links or copies of the original Islands plans? I had a good search online today but couldn't come up with anything!
     
  17. AmbikaFan

    AmbikaFan Well-Known Member

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    I looked for this too, and the only interesting thing I found was that Monsoon Forest was part of the islands plan.
     
  18. redstarsmith

    redstarsmith Well-Known Member

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    I’m certain Leopards could be included but don’t think that they will. As much as I love cats above all other animals I’m not sure how wise it would be to put two large cats next to each in large accommodation considering they’d be about as visible as Boris Johnston at PMQT.
     
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  19. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    It's a big development and the plans were revised several times. There are 128 documents on file at 12/03062/REM | Approval of details relating to 09/12057/FUL, .Islands. project involving the development of two showhouses, visitor facilities, stables, open shelers/viewing areas, footbridges, boat ride and boat station, internal service road and footways and associated hard an soft landscaping. | The North Of England Zoological Society Head Office Caughall Road Upton Chester Cheshire CH2 1LH
     
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  20. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    It was May 1972 issue and HRH officially opened the Lecture Hall and library on 14th April 1972.
     
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