That is one of the usual suspects and/or pretexts for new masterplans (usually) being produced! Out of interest: A) When did the zoo create the last Masterplan? Reservation: I personally view that the MTZ cannot afford another costly masterplan creation over the dire need to actually restart all the deferred building and renovation plans. But when you are looking for the real culprit: It seems to have been the costings for the Winter Lights event as well as the interventions that the Municipality still can make due to their 12 mio. CD annual subsidy of the MTZ. The new CEO could not provide a project plan with numbers and the Municipality basically scolded him for it. See below: The Toronto Zoo is trying to reinvent itself. Its very survival may be at stake
@Zooplantman, now that you mention it I did forget we have a new CEO who has a far better vision for the zoo then the old one did. I still don't think we need a new master plan at the moment but I'm sightly less annoyed when I think there is a new CEO who is much more animal and visitor focused. I'd just like to bang out the orang and walrus work first and once that is closer to completion then revisit the master plan. Maybe work on it next winter if things stay on track.
Perhaps you can ask your new CEO, he seems open to feedback and a good listener (a quality in a manager).
The Zoo Food for Life campaign has been wildly successful. With an initial goal of $100 000 ($20 000 hoped for from Facebook alone) people responded to the call in massive ways. $500 000 has been raised in just a week. Last I saw the tally on Facebook it was at $84 000 alone. Restaurants, wholesale food suppliers and others with food products answered the call and offered what they could. Contractors waived bills and offered other services. Money has poured in from all over the world. This all speaks to how beloved the zoo and its animals are. The money will keep our animal friends fed for the next 6 months. That still doesn't cover all the other costs from staffing to maintenance but every bit helps. Hopefully we will all be back well before then and can thank the keepers for all they do in person. Toronto Zoo | Media Room
The lemurs proved to be a snooze for the daily live stream so the zoo and the Toronto Star have switched to the gorillas for our daily dose of the zoo. Probably the species they should have picked from the start. Watch the Toronto Star’s livestream of gorillas at the Toronto Zoo
The union has agreed to wage and hour cuts to avoid more layoffs. Glad both sides could work together at this trying time. Toronto Zoo, union reach agreement to avoid more layoffs during coronavirus pandemic - CityNews Toronto
Interesting news about a potential reopening. Apparently they are looking at making it a drive through experience. Coronavirus: Toronto Zoo plans to reopen for ‘drive-thru’ visits
Interesting. Couldn't that potentially be dangerous though? I don't remember too much separating visitors and animals last time I went, and are the paths large enough in places?
This is just a guess, but I’d assume that visitors would only drive on the route that the Zoo-mobile takes, because those paths are already built for driving. This would of course mean large sections of the zoo aren’t visible, but it is better than nothing. I know at least a couple of other zoos in North America are doing or are planning to do a drive-through.
Apparently some of the volunteers and staff have already done a "dry run" and from what I gather, yes it is basically just along parts of the zoomobile route, and parts of Eurasia/Savannah (where the roads are a bit narrower, but can easily accommodate full vehicles - and in most cases the animals on exhibit there have plenty of space to be well back if they choose). Whole thing takes about 45 min. Some people have questioned the noise level for the animals, but it can't be any louder than shrieking toddlers over the sound of those awful wagons people drag everywhere, haha. I imagine the animals would ignore them after a day or so anyway. I just hope people have enough common sense not to use their horns... I'm somewhat more concerned about exhaust fumes, especially when a lot of those vehicles may be idling in place for a while during inevitable hold-ups, although I have no doubt that's been considered carefully into the number and frequency of vehicles they'd allow through. That all being said, maybe not ideal, but if it's a form of revenue then they have to explore every option right now. They're doing the best they can, and I have no reason to think otherwise. And of course for those of us that don't have vehicles, we'll just have to wait VERY impatiently until foot traffic is allowed back in, in whatever form it first takes!
The drive through experience is officially opening May 23rd, as the "Scenic Safari". Tickets are on sale May 22nd. The zoo also has a preview video. Toronto Zoo | Scenic Safari
Will the cars be allowed to stop? And will they be going as fast as in the video (or at least at the start? Do you think the cars visiting their exhibits frequently will spook the animals or will they be used to it through maintenance vehicles in such a large zoo as Toronto?
As cool as the safari sounds, I'm going to wait until the zoo opens to pedestrian traffic. $44 (non-member)/$32 (member) is expensive in my opinion. I'm also concerned about the emissions we will be exposing the animals to and people potentially throwing food or items into the enclosures I would rather donate the cost of the safari in the meantime and watch their daily updates. I wonder how they will ensure people are keeping their vehicle doors/windows closed. One idea/suggestion I would give is to put a piece of tape on the windows/doors, kind of like evidence tape. It is has been tampered with, the staff can see it and enforce the rules appropriately.
The drive thru seems to be a hit. Despite glitches thousands have waited to buy their tickets. Thousands of people queue up online for drive-thru ‘safari’ at Toronto Zoo Not that I'm planning on going (too long a drive for 45 minute tour) but I wanted to get a an idea of where they stood. As of 8:20 pm I was 6125th in line and there were 4050 tickets left so I'd say by the time they filter through they could well be sold out by morning. I'd assume anyone who is out that far stands no shot. Someone closer to 4050 might stand a better shot because some of the times and dates available might not work for others in line. I can only see them cautiously opening more slots slowly. They shouldn't want to book too far our in hopes that they can get guests back in in a more traditional way shortly. They can make far more off charging by the person than the car load. Has anyone seen what if anything they plan on doing for members? I know initially they said they would extend all our memberships by a month but its been over 2 months and membership certainly doesn't let us do the drive thru free so I wouldn't even count tomorrow as opening.
I'm going to be honest. This drive thru is a neat idea, but seems like a giant waste of time for people going. Most of the animals on this path are hard enough to see when you're walking at the the zoo, so in a car, further away than normal is not gonna improve that.
A few days ago they answered someone about the membership question, in the comments on one of their Facebook posts... yes, our memberships will be extended until the zoo opens back in a more traditional sense. So that's good. And with regard to the number in the queue... remember that (based on posts I've seen on FB, Twitter etc) a LOT of people have been unnecessarily clogging up the servers by sitting in queue on multiple devices. So I'd imagine the number of real purchasers in queue is probably half, if not less, then the number you see. But although it's not even an option for me (no access to a vehicle) I'm really pleased for the Zoo that it's getting this response. I'll just keep watching the gorillas for now!
@Judache good point about multiple people in line. I checked this morning and there are 160 tickets left as of 9 am. I looked like I was 2647th in line. Glad its proving a hit for the zoo. Until they can get the zoo open they do need the cash flow. Hopefully people show they are willing to follow the zoos rules and it will give them confidence we can do it outside of a car too so we can all come back. Glad to hear the memberships will be extended at least until reopening. So hard to always catch the zoo's answers in all their conversations all the time. I am super hopeful they will continue the live stream of the gorillas and the daily keeper talks. They are so good to have. Even if the daily keeper talks are previously recorded and switch to weekly it would be nice. I like learning about some of the animals I don't know as well and visit with those I do. With the new CEO's focus on connecting with the public I think their is reason to hope.
A new batch of safari tickets are on sale and will run from Jun 1 through Jun 7 so we know the zoo will stay closed until then at the very least.
The board approved $600 000 for renos to the polar bear habitat to house the walruses. The deal for the walruses is for 3 years with possible extensions. First time I think we have heard the potential length of the deal. We definitely wont be getting the female polar bear though as Taiga died last winter. No matter though. Having only 3 polar bears is probably for the best. Toronto Zoo board gives $638Gs nod to walrus habitat
