What are some of the coolest zoo exhibit plans/master plans that never got built?

DavidBrown

DavidBrown

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Occasionally someone will put out a list of the "10 Greatest Screenplays That Never Got Made Into Movies" or some such.

In the same spirit there are many exhibit plans and zoo master plans with really cool ideas that have never gotten built or implemented for any number of reasons (e.g., budgets, management changes, political feasibility).

I know that one of the depths of expertise here on ZooChat is knowledge of zoo master plans and exhibit plans and I'm wondering if anybody has any favorite exhibit/master plan elements that never made it into reality (at least not yet).

The Monterey Aquarium originally planned to build a permanent exhibit of deep sea life portraying species found at the bottom of the Monterey Canyon. Unfortunately someone made the decision that the deep sea ecosystems and species were not cool enough so it was produced as a temporary exhibit and no longer exists.

The Sacramento Zoo has a master plan called "Zoo 2002" in 1988 that included a Sacramento River exhibit complex that would have had a centerpiece immersion grizzly bear exhibit, river otters, beavers, and salmon. Sadly it was never to be.

Does anybody else have favorite exhibit and/or master plan concepts that you wish had been built (or may yet be someday)?
 
The sad thing is MBA ended up with this extremely expensive, high tech deep sea room that most people go in and then promptly leave because there are no animals in it. It's not that difficult to have a great deep sea exhibit - most aquariums actually feature deep sea animals like spider crabs, hagfish or nautilus - but rarely do they think to put them together in one exhibit.
 
DavidBrown said:
Occasionally someone will put out a list of the "10 Greatest Screenplays That Never Got Made Into Movies" or some such.

In the same spirit there are many exhibit plans and zoo master plans with really cool ideas that have never gotten built or implemented for any number of reasons (e.g., budgets, management changes, political feasibility).

I know that one of the depths of expertise here on ZooChat is knowledge of zoo master plans and exhibit plans and I'm wondering if anybody has any favorite exhibit/master plan elements that never made it into reality (at least not yet).

The Monterey Aquarium originally planned to build a permanent exhibit of deep sea life portraying species found at the bottom of the Monterey Canyon. Unfortunately someone made the decision that the deep sea ecosystems and species were not cool enough so it was produced as a temporary exhibit and no longer exists.

The Sacramento Zoo has a master plan called "Zoo 2002" in 1988 that included a Sacramento River exhibit complex that would have had a centerpiece immersion grizzly bear exhibit, river otters, beavers, and salmon. Sadly it was never to be.

Does anybody else have favorite exhibit and/or master plan concepts that you wish had been built (or may yet be someday)?
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Had the original 1976 master plan for the Woodland Park Zoo been implemented, it would have been quite amazing. While that plan had very few of the visitor services and amenities that are standard in today's zoos (gift stores, food stands, carousels, play areas), it did promise an integrated series of habitat experiences that would have been incredible. The African Savanna, gorilla and Asian Primate exhibits, Temperate waterfowl aviary and (somewhat) the Northern Trail complex were built, all sort of following the plan. Unfortunately, the plans for polar bear/musk ox, sloth bear/axis deer/Indian rhino, and maned wolf/guanacos--among many others--never materialized.
 
Phoenix planned a grand "Great Deserts of the World" exhibit which would feature animals from major deserts across the world. The Sahara and Namib from Africa, the Arid Interior of Australia, the Atacama Desert of Peru, and the Saudi Arabian desert of Asia. Species were to include caracal, gazelles, camels, oryx, dingos, red kangaroos, emus, vampire bats and more. Sadly it was shelved and the current bighorn sheep/Arabian oryx complex called "Desert Lives" is all that survives of that long extinct plan.
 
reduakari said:
Had the original 1976 master plan for the Woodland Park Zoo been implemented, it would have been quite amazing. While that plan had very few of the visitor services and amenities that are standard in today's zoos (gift stores, food stands, carousels, play areas), it did promise an integrated series of habitat experiences that would have been incredible. The African Savanna, gorilla and Asian Primate exhibits, Temperate waterfowl aviary and (somewhat) the Northern Trail complex were built, all sort of following the plan. Unfortunately, the plans for polar bear/musk ox, sloth bear/axis deer/Indian rhino, and maned wolf/guanacos--among many others--never materialized.
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I love that plan. I occasionally pull it off the shelf and read it recreationally. Amazing stuff!
 
reduakari said:
Had the original 1976 master plan for the Woodland Park Zoo been implemented, it would have been quite amazing. While that plan had very few of the visitor services and amenities that are standard in today's zoos (gift stores, food stands, carousels, play areas), it did promise an integrated series of habitat experiences that would have been incredible. The African Savanna, gorilla and Asian Primate exhibits, Temperate waterfowl aviary and (somewhat) the Northern Trail complex were built, all sort of following the plan. Unfortunately, the plans for polar bear/musk ox, sloth bear/axis deer/Indian rhino, and maned wolf/guanacos--among many others--never materialized.
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Did the polar bear-musk ox complex at Tacoma resemble what had been planned for Woodland Park originally?

Did the elephant exhibit in the original 1976 plan resemble what got built?

Does anybody know if the original 1976 Woodland Park Zoo plan in online or otherwise accessible anywhere?
 
Woodland Park Zoo unfinished 76 masterplan
John Ball Zoo relocation
Jacksonville Zoo elephant complex completion (w/ underwater viewing)
Louisville Zoo Asian elephant complex
Baltimore Zoo Reptile House
National Fisheries Center (Washington, DC near the Jefferson Memorial)
Little Rock Zoo - baseball stadium property expansion
Indianapolis Zoo - outdoor whale/dolphin exhibits
Mesker Park Zoo - Rift Valley/Savanna East exhibit complex
Milwaukee County Zoo - Caribbean Cove Aquarium
Cincinnati Zoo - Cheetah Encounter (original mp location at old noc house footprint)
Zoo Orlando
Mill Mountain Zoo "Oriental Masterplan" (Roanoke, VA)
original "Australia and the Islands" plan @ Columbus Zoo
San Francisco Zoo '90s masterplan
Minnesota Zoo "Northern Trek" Phase 2 (http://www.zoochat.com/584/northern-trek-phase-ii-77704/)
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo '90s masterplan
Toledo Zoo late '80s masterplan
New England Aquarium - Gulf of Maine tank (http://www.lyonszaremba.com/images/_pdfs/neae.pdf)
Seattle Aquarium - Great Pacific NW Aquarium plan
Rosamond Gifford Zoo - fur seal exhibit
Detroit Zoo - downtown aquarium location (to replace belle isle)
San Diego Zoo - Ituri Forest Phase II, Children's Living Lab, Original Tundra plan in Goat/Sheep canyon
Quebec City Zoo
Calgary Zoo - beluga exhibit
 
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DavidBrown said:
Did the polar bear-musk ox complex at Tacoma resemble what had been planned for Woodland Park originally?

Did the elephant exhibit in the original 1976 plan resemble what got built?

Does anybody know if the original 1976 Woodland Park Zoo plan in online or otherwise accessible anywhere?
Click to expand...

There was no elephant exhibit in the 1976 plan. There is but one mention of an elephant in the African Savanna, but only the name on a map - no specifics unlike the rest of the exhibits mentioned. The plan is available on the Jones & Jones website.
 
What an interesting topic!

It would appear that a large proportion of "never got off the ground" exhibits are to do with river or ocean exhibits.

Here in Sydney, Taronga Zoo is located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour. Many of the animals have a view of the harbour, city, opera house etc. that millionaires couldn't afford. Some time ago it was planned to actually fence off that part of the harbour below the zoo as the world's largest seal and sealion enclosure. Plans were drawn up, costings done etc. but in the end it was decided not to proceed due to pollution of the harbour which was not severe but still bad enough to be a menace to the seals.
 
Cincinnati Zoo - off site small cat breeding center. They got a state grant for over one million dollars to build it, but the inside story is that the money was redirected for on-site use by some (or maybe just one) senior zoo staff.
 
As stated by Wikipedia regarding Werribee Open Range Zoo in Australia:

"In April 2008 it was announced that a theme park known as African Safari World was proposed, by Warner Villiage to be built within the grounds of the zoo. On July 1 2008 the proposed theme park plans were indefinatly postponed, the Government citing the potential $100 million dollar cost to the taxpayer as the reason they were postponed."

"Attractions

Several attractions were proposed including:
Serengeti Safari - An African animal tour. This tour was expected to be a redeveloped Werribee Open Range Zoo which was to feature:

Habitat and enclosure improvements
Increased animal numbers
Wildlife education and conservation centre
Australian animal experience
A variety of rides, including water rides and Australia's greatest roller coaster
Man-made lakes and mountains
A Four Dimensional Theatre"
 
Also a previous plan of the National Zoo's elephant complex had additional yards extending into the valley below the clouded leopards and otters.
 
In many cases the zoo will just say that plans have been delayed or postponed rather abandoned.
I could nominate Chester's Heart of Africa dome in this category - and I suppose there is still a chance for this one (but don't hold your breath).
The ones I most regret from the UK are the polar exhibit on the scarp at Whipsnade which was planned in the 1970s and the ZSL's more recent plan for an Aquarium called Biota in London's Docklands which was put out of its misery a few years ago.

Alan
 
DavidBrown said:
Did the polar bear-musk ox complex at Tacoma resemble what had been planned for Woodland Park originally?

Did the elephant exhibit in the original 1976 plan resemble what got built?

Does anybody know if the original 1976 Woodland Park Zoo plan in online or otherwise accessible anywhere?
Click to expand...

The Tacoma polar bear/arctic fox/lemming (!) and musk ox exhibit had many general similarities to the Seattle master plan idea, not too surprisingly given it was the same design team. When it opened, the Tacoma exhibit was groundbreaking and won awards and international acclaim. Now it really looks and feels dated.

As mentioned above, the 1976 plan did not include elephants, with the exception of the one drawing of the African savanna exhibit that indicated there could be elephants in the general location of the hippo grazing area (although no holding building was identified for them, so I don't think it was a serious idea). The Asian elephant complex built in the late 1980s was the first major exhibit developed at Woodland Park that diverged from the 1976 plan.

The Northern Trail area followed the 1976 master plan concept pretty closely in the mid-90s, but subsequent developments have largely abandoned the vision that was originally laid out, for many good and practical reasons.
 
gentle lemur said:
In many cases the zoo will just say that plans have been delayed or postponed rather abandoned.
I could nominate Chester's Heart of Africa dome in this category - and I suppose there is still a chance for this one (but don't hold your breath).
The ones I most regret from the UK are the polar exhibit on the scarp at Whipsnade which was planned in the 1970s and the ZSL's more recent plan for an Aquarium called Biota in London's Docklands which was put out of its misery a few years ago.

Alan
Click to expand...

What was the Chester plan for their Africa dome?
 
"Arctic Shores", the cancelled exhibit complex at Calgary Zoo could have been spectacular. Details of the habitats, under the umbrella of the "Project Discovery" revitilization of the zoo, are included in the excellent 2005 history book and are accessible online. Polar bears and beluga whales would have been part of the set-up, a 10-million litre (2 million gallon) tank was also part of the package, and $120 was earmarked for construction. The Canadian government as far back as 2005 gave $35 million towards Arctic Shores, and the plan was to have it open and operational by late 2009 so it would be just in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in early 2010.

Sadly, three major factors created problems: the economy stagnated due to a worldwide recession, the cost ballooned to over $200 million, and there was a vocal group of dissenters who were against the idea of polar bears and beluga whales (the main focus) in captivity. The concept was abandoned, and somewhat ironically Elephant Crossing cost $10 million as part of the watered-down project and now the zoo is sending its elephants away! The one major positive is that a $24 million penguin habitat opened and by all accounts it is very impressive and an enormously popular addition to the facility. With giant pandas due to arrive in 2018 from Toronto things are finally looking up for Calgary Zoo.
 
There were proposals (I think in the early part of the 20th century) to move London Zoo from Regents Park.

Richmond Park, a large expanse of heathland and woods with herds of deer on the south western edge of London was mentioned as a possibility as was a north London site around Hampstead and Highgate. I often ponder where they had in mind for the north London site, there is quite a lot of space around that part of the city, most notably Hampstead Heath.
 
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