Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Developments 2019

Watching for TZFan's informed predictions for this year, I finally realized they were at the end of the 2018 thread. I am sure TZFan won't mind that I have copied that post here:

Construction work is finally supposed to start on the outdoor orang exhibit. I have zero hope it will be done in 2019 but at least there are now plans. I don't think Puppe will live to see its completion though given her age.

There is supposed to be more work on that new zipline experience including a canopy walk.
Winterized Zoomobile!

Ideally some kind of forward momentum on the Maglev project.

The new ticketing and parking systems might be implemented.

Hopefully something interesting will be done with the panda pavilion.

The Americas' amphibian area is supposed to get a small refurb this winter and spring.
I'm really hoping the zoo keeps up with its plan to live stream more medical procedures from the health unit.

Not a really busy year but I don't think we will see lots of developments until they start in on the Canadian Wildness.
 
The zoo is asking people to tell them what they want to see more of on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in 2019. This is a brilliant idea! Give people a say in what they see and draw them in. Really happy to see that they have embraced social media as much as they have in the last couple years.
 
Not sure if this was mentioned, but the zoo has chosen Zeidler Partnership Architects to take lead on the Orangutan Outdoor Exhibit design.

Zeidler is responsible for the design of Destination Africa at Calgary Zoo and I believe that designed the current Panda section at Calgary zoo.

 
Oh wow considering how beautiful the designs are for those exhibits in Calgary I'm more hopeful Toronto will let that firm do something great and not just slap together something functional but lame. The panda exhibit they have built is just so elegant and natural. It made Toronto's decent exhibit look pretty bad in comparison. If I was a panda I would pick Calgary's exhibits every time. I would love to see something cutting edge for the orangs but Toronto doesn't do cutting edge. I'll take beautiful in that case and that team has the potential to get it done if given the permission and resources. But then again I just want it done so Puppe can enjoy as much time outside before she passes as possible. I do not want to see her pass without her ever getting the opportunity to go outside even for an hour again in her life. She deserves a chance to be outside and feel the sun, wind, grass, rain, smell as fresh air as possible in Toronto, and enjoy her golden years.
 
The zoo just announced on Facebook that tomorrow (Jan 15) after 10 am the monocled cobra is going in for an exam at the health center. Anyone heading in should check it out.

I really hope this is a thing they will do more often. When they can announce something might happen to announce it. Obviously things are subject to change due to all the animals needs but a little heads up about the routine stuff is nice. Really get some good use out of the gallery.
 
My best guess and this would be purely a guess because there is zero chance anything could be build that fast during a Canadian winter is the former panda pavilion. It's the only empty space available that I can think of. I don't recall any mention of a location though.
 
TZFan said:
My best guess and this would be purely a guess because there is zero chance anything could be build that fast during a Canadian winter is the former panda pavilion. It's the only empty space available that I can think of.
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Even that's debatable.
 
Oh other board things are up too.

Big things...

The orangs are due to finish in May 2020. Believe it when I see it.

The kangaroo walk about is back this spring. I'm going to be a happy camper.

A special multi year exhibit is coming but the document is confidential. I spent an hour pondering what it could be then deleted everything I could think of by accident. In short if we are talking animals the most reasonable exhibits I could see being converted for a new guest are the komodos exhibit or clouded leopard, Levy's, exhibit. Both are single animals who could be moved to other zoos and the exhibits have been used for special exhibits in the past. The komodos could be replaced by devils or koalas. I think the koalas are less likely as we only have hosted them for summers while we have hosted devils long term. The leopard exhibit could house many smaller species from Asia. I had other ideas for Eurasia, the savanna or Tundra Trek but I couldn't envision a lot of worthy species for the few exhibits I could see being used.
 
The zoo has a new program they have introduced Zoo Dairies Live! I got excited thinking it would be a monthly facebook stream or something but its an in person experience. Still cool but a let down when I thought it would be a return of the real zoo diaries. Saturday February 23, 2019 will be the polar bears.

Toronto Zoo | Events Calendar
 
Something else I noticed in the board meeting is that their moving $2 million from the Canadian Pavilion project to the Front Entrance project, which they want to have construction start for in 2020.
 
cypher said:
Something else I noticed in the board meeting is that their moving $2 million from the Canadian Pavilion project to the Front Entrance project, which they want to have construction start for in 2020.
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is that related to the one with the canadian government? I heard something like a welcome area for the rouge urban national park was going to be made close to the zoo entrance but I don't really have details.
 
Whereas I think tieing in the zoo to the Rouge national park is essentially a good thing, I wonder to what degree parking spaces are affected and if any alternative solutions and reperative payments to the zoo are forthcoming for additional parking space nearby.
 
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