Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden 40 Million Dollar Plans?

Thanks for posting the awesome link! Giraffe Ridge opened in 2008, I believe that there is a cheetah racing track already completed, the elephant paddock expansion was under construction when I visited 6 months ago, and funds should be in place for the ambitious cat canyon project. After that I'm not sure where everything currently stands, but the gorillas would definitely benefit from an improved habitat. It is about time that some of the enclosures were overhauled at this zoo.
 
It seems odd though I haven't (has anyone really) ever heard anything about the gorilla renovation or the cat canyon? I recall you especially were hard on both after visiting the zoo and I can't ever recall hearing anything about it.
 
There has been at least one cat canyon article posted in a thread here at ZooChat (I'll check the Cincinnati Zoo thread) and there was going to be at least $1.5 million already raised for the cost. That will undoubtedly be the next major project at the zoo while the elephant paddock is completed this year. The current cat area has animals like tigers and cheetahs in spacious yet nondescript grottoes. The gorilla exhibit is nothing atrocious but it is definitely outdated and the land area is much smaller in comparison to the many other excellent great ape habitats that have been developed in the 30 years since the opening of the Cincinnati enclosure.
 
I was not sure if that was the same 'cat canyon' that was mentioned in the other thread. I thought that was more of a small cat research facility not a renovation to include cats of all sizes. The link I found today made it seem like they'd be renovating the current cat canyon but I could be wrong.

I am eager to see the gorilla exhibit this Spring. I've heard mixed reviews and I'm curious to see if it is as bad as some people I know have mentioned (or as good as a friend of mine seems to believe it is!).
 
I love the gorilla exhibits at the Bronx Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom and San Diego, and even the Woodland Park Zoo, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Columbus Zoo all have a variety of styles in their gorilla habitats. Cincinnati has an amazing Jungle Trails area for many primates, but their gorilla grotto is smaller and less stimulating than most other great ape enclosures.
 
Personally, I like Jungle Trails @ Cincinnati more than Congo @ Bronx, but I'm not sure if it's because I've seen Congo 50+ times and I've only seen Jungle Trails a handful of times.

I think like with a lot of the Cincinnati Zoo, there will always be some area of the zoo out of date at the Cincinnati Zoo just because of their space constraints. Then again, I believe you and I have similar views on the terrible situation that are the birds at the Bronx Zoo so no zoo is always on the ball, I suppose.
 
Looks pretty ambitous, hope they can come up with the moeny
 
Snowleopard don't forget Lincoln Park when mentioning good gorilla exhibits. I personally love LA's gorilla exhibit.
 
Like many old zoos, when the Cincinnati Zoo opened, it was "in the country." But after a while it became landlocked and could not expand.
Cincinnati Zoo has been in a twenty year program of expanding exhibits by relocating parking outside the original zoo footprint. That process has been slow and costly for a number of reasons. This has allowed the first expansion of the old elephant yard, and the new Discovery Center. The further expansion of elephants is possible as the adjoining parking lot disappears.They are also moving some of the horticulture and maintenance areas to an adjoining property, which frees up space to expand gorillas.

Now all they need is piles of cash!
I'm curious about the $40million number. Keep in mind that Minnesota's new exhibit came in at about $23million. Dallas Zoo's savanna is set at $27million. I cannot see how all the items on that plan can be done for the amount specified. And Cincinnati does not skimp on expensive rockwork, etc.

By the way, I consider JungleTrails and Congo Gorilla Forest to be rather different. Just as all of the Cincinnati Zoo is very tightly packed, while the Bronx Zoo is expansive and spaced out, so two are these two exhibits. Congo is far more spacious for the animals. JungleTrails has a greater number of discreet animal exhibits. Congo had huge existing trees. JungleTrails site was cleared when it was built (but it is almost ten years older). JungleTrails' buildings are "themed" spaces while Congo's building is more museum approach. In Congo, visitors are very close to the animals (except okapi) while in JungleTrails one tends to see the orangs/gibbons and bonobos in the totality of their exhibit. I could go on.
 
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tigertiger said:
It seems odd though I haven't (has anyone really) ever heard anything about the gorilla renovation or the cat canyon? I recall you especially were hard on both after visiting the zoo and I can't ever recall hearing anything about it.
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The press releases that contained this map and several other images and maps were released last winter? (before I joined zoochat) I believe. While Greg Hudson was director, there was little major developments at the zoo. The reason being, he had quietly raised money for their "quiet phase" of the zoo's new captial campaign. Over the last year, little things have mentioned in regards to the new construction (ie money for off exhibit small cat conservation center and new small cat exhibit, elephant expansion, giraffe ridge, new parking lot, etc.) Im hoping this year may bring more news regarding the first new exhibit in this plan (but dont quote me on that).

The plan does involve:

Expansion of Elephant exhibits and programs
Indoor Gorilla exhibit
Indoor and expanded Sumatran Rhino facilites
African Savanna on current parking lot within zoo boundaries
Renovation of Reptile House to a new cafe
New Entrance at Vine Street
New Cheetah Encounter near CREW facility and Hospital
"Cat Canyon" renovation of cat house and cat grottos

Anyone wishing to receive a copy of some of these plans and drawings, PM me with your email address.
 
We will be pursuing LEED Certification on all of our future projects, including Gold level certification for our new Main Entry Project.
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An interesting and bold statement about the zoo's future and construction.


This newsletter discusses the zoo's new parking lot:
http://www.mecompanies.com/documents/MEnewsletter_September07issue.pdf

And a little more information regardings the zoo's new entrance to open in May 2009?
NEW ZOO LAYOVER
Metro now has a new layover at the Cincinnati Zoo as part of the Zoo's new main entrance and pedestrian bridge construction. When construction is finished in May 2009, there will be a custom-designed shelter at the hub and two smaller shelters at Vine and Shields, but the layover itself is already in use. This means that Route 1 is no longer on detour, allowing for better transfers with Route 78. Three saw-tooth lanes for buses have already been installed in the Zoo's new parking lot on Vine Street. Route 1 will approach this new layover via Erkenbrecher Avenue, turning left on Vine and then almost immediately into the parking lot. Upon leaving the layover, the bus will circle through the parking lot, turning left onto Vine and then right, back onto Erkenbrecher for the return trip. This routing is similar to that operated prior to the closure. Route 1 schedules have not been reprinted yet, but a revised schedule with the new layover shown on the map is available for download HERE. Metro is a non-profit public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, providing about 23 million rides per year in Greater Cincinnati.
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Well, in the plans you provided, tigertiger, the new Cheetah Encounter exhibit is located between the World of Insects and the New Hospital/CREW facility. The nocturnal house happens to be in that location.
 
okapikpr said:
Well, in the plans you provided, tigertiger, the new Cheetah Encounter exhibit is located between the World of Insects and the New Hospital/CREW facility. The nocturnal house happens to be in that location.
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I totally did not notice that. The cheetah encounter is open and is on the other side of the parking lot next to the pedestrian entrance's present location. I don't think there'd even be the room where it is suggested to be located on that plan.
 
The Cat Ambassador Program has long been located at their current site that was recently redone. However it is currently far from the rest of the zoo, and I believe the zoo is planning to move the program's location to that shown on the map...however plans do change. Personally it would make more sense to keep the Cheetah Encounter in an area that is slated to become an African Savannah.
 
Thanks for posting that, I remember that from awhile back and wished I had saved it.
 
There were plans years ago for a revamped Gorilla World. The plan involved heated floors in the outdoor habitat.

I personally really like the steady improvement to my home zoo. The African Veldt just seems so much smaller than it did when I was a kid. I'd love to see the front lot used for a savannah. It would leave space at the current veldt to either expand the Rhino Reserve, improve the okapi exhibit, or maybe even build some North American exhibits as it its connected to Wolf Woods on the back end.

I hope a new reptile building is in the works as well. It's a historical building that will likely never be torn down, but it has to be one of the worst reptile houses in the country.
 
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