Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Developments 2021

Very good points. New team, and new head honcho. If anything, I'm hoping this team is pushing for more mixed species exhibits. That alone makes things more dynamic and interesting for visitors and the animals alike.

It'll be very interesting to see what it brings compared to the previous master plan.
 
For those interested, the schedule for the board meeting is up. Unfortunately, no Master Plan, or anything all that interesting upon first glance. Most interesting thing I saw was the Energy Retrofit Project. They want to make some modification to the overall scope of the project.

Decision Body Profile
 
You're right @cypher nothing huge there. But good news from attendance. The attendance is decently exceeding expectations and those guests are spending more previsit. Its helping to offset covid losses. And membership has more than doubled since reopening... although to be fair how many people purposely let it lapse thanks to the pandeminc. Every but helps. Even the vaccine mandate doesnt seem to have hurt. People wailed and moaned on social media but the average sane person realized hey heres as safe a place as any i can go. They care about my health and safety. Hopefully the zoo can go into 2022 just as strong if not stronger as the kids are vaccinated too.
 
Overall the board meeting looks like it's going to be a borefest. A lot of us were hoping for the ever elusive Master Plan, but we'll have to wait for, hopefully, next year.

It's good to see attendance doing well though. If we're lucky, it'll only get better next year.
 
Presumably everyone is being taunted by this post:
 

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Zooer said:
Presumably everyone is being taunted by this post:
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Yep… Oh Dolf and his little teaser he gives us. But I do really like the new the glass coverings he previewed in the Sumatran Tiger exhibit.
 
Well at least the master plan does exist even if it still isn't ready. And he was smart picked a page that really gives nothing away because its so many tiny maps and the heading is what we've learned or something like that. Its an early page not the meat and potatoes we all desire. Here's hoping to getting to see that bad boy sometime in 2022. Yes I have left my hopes open to a full year.
 
I thought the Master Plan had vanished into the ether honestly lol, weren't we expecting it in like summer? Glad to see they're still working on it.
 
Oh there have been so many dates that have come and gone with the Master Plan its hard to keep them straight. I think when we first heard about it it was to be summer 2020. Then this time last year. The website still says its to be approved July 2021. So lets just hope its sometime in 2022. Probably wise not to pin any hopes on any given date. When it appears, it appears and we begin rejoicing and cursing it. We are a complex group. It will be nice to see the future and Im certain there will be things we love. It will also be tough to see a post Indian rhino and hippo world as well they will probably do some things we all hate, its kinda inevitable.
 
At least if the 2022-31 capital budget (and the rate of construction in Toronto) can be trusted then we know we'll have a couple of projects to be excited about in the coming years. Maybe some discussion on those plans will help tide us over until the release of the master plan
 
@Kalvin I think the only plan we should count on right now while we wait is the front entrance and only then because we have seen actual renderings of what might be going in there. The orangs will be the focus until they are done in 2022? Then they will shift gears to the entrance. I know they think it will be a 2 year job but I just don't see how its possible simply because it is the one area of the zoo you cannot just shut down for 2 years. I really think it needs to be tackled in 3 phases. The north (because its already pretty much a blank slate minus the greenhouse. Then the south which would be pretty extensive because you are looking at a lot of staff facilities, bathrooms, the Peacock Cafe, lockers, and the zoomo station (which thankfully can be moved temporarily). Lastly you turn the the center and build the new otter exhibit and new gates before ripping down the old ones. If they really are building everything anew I would guess each area should take about 2 years. The new stuff looks rather extensive. I could be wrong and they may have a plan to somehow basically shut the whole entrance down more or less. Just think it might be really hard to do that. Really is pity covid couldn't have waited until the orang exhibit was done and the zoo was ready to begin construction of the entrance. Even with closures and stuff they probably could have tackled more work at once because they didnt have to consider guests during all of the closures. Anyway I think the entrance work will probably take up at least half of that capital budget time frame. Anything else significant being done will be dictated by the master plan.

Heck I will be honest I am just happy with the small quality of life improvements we have been getting since covid began. The slow progress on the bathrooms is high quality work for the zoo who under previous management would have just done the good enough to work job. Might be taking a really long time but the results are undeniably good. The shade structures to the savanna are nice. The penguins indoor space getting an upgrade was a pleasant big surprise. I don't think it was on any of our radar that they would get such a nice facelift. The work going on in the Americas primate wing is definitely long overdue and very beautiful compared to the lovely shade of institutional green they had before. Is it the lush habitat I envision? No but my brain loves to spend billions on the zoo. Its a huge upgrade even if it wont win any awards for being naturalistic or cutting edge. Someone finally took the time to address long standing issues with the otter and beaver habitats! I have been hearing complaints about those two and plumbing and leaks since joining zoochat. The new lighting in the Americas looks nice and brightens the space it seems. Cant say from personal experience just photos. The giraffe roof got a long overdue overhaul which isnt interesting to guests but sure probably makes keepers happy. They want to build the lemur addition none of us seems to get but heck anything that is meant to make things better is good. Even just updating signs is nice. You can go all out in one area and make something spectacular but if the rest of the zoo looks run down then it doesn't do much good. These upgrades while seeming small are addressing issues and helping to leave an overall better impression of the zoo on guests. It looks like work is being done all over all the time with the small stuff.

I guess if I really want to look forward to something on the master plan it might be a constant cycle of these smaller projects. Yes totally revamping the Domain would be good but if history has taught us anything is the zoo will have ambitious plans. Then scale back dramatically when they realize the budget and you get good enough exhibits and nothing fantastic. I would much rather we do one thing and do it extraordinarily well then move on. The penguins are a good example. It was a good sized project for what it was but it wasn't the whole savanna or even the whole exhibit. They did what they had the money for and made the most out of that money they could in that one spot. Is it the indoor viewing of the penguins we all would prefer where we go in the building and can see them swimming underwater? No. But the zoo probably will never have the budget for that. What we did get was a massive improvement over what was there before and people will notice the difference. If we keep tackling projects this way with the odd big project like the orangs thrown in I think people will overall be happier with the zoo because they can see the constant stream of really good small to medium improvements, not just good enough jobs on big projects every 5 years or more that are underwhelming... Hi Eurasia, yes I am looking at you. It is sad but I think the things I want to see most when I return next year are the new bathrooms. Yes the new orang exhibit will be cool when its done too but the bathrooms are something neat too.
 
According to Dolf, the master plan is in the final stages of development and will hopefully be revealed at the next board meeting. Seems like they’re going over what can realistically be included in the budget, but Dolf hinted at many more “minor” changes coming to the zoo that he seemed excited about, and I am too. He specifically mentioned the Africa washrooms as an exciting new addition to the zoo. This could totally just be my imagination, but part of me is wondering if they tapped into the burrows and caves space, and will feature some live exhibits similar to Nashville zoo (cotton-top tamarins in the female washroom/some type of Python in the men’s washroom). Maybe we’ll see the Nakies stay on for something like that, though they are phase out so I wouldn’t hold my breath.

I’m just excited to see the zoo improve on all these smaller elements! They really add to the overall experience.
 
I will believe the master plan is ready when I see it. Sad part of having been delayed so often... I know covid.

I do like the idea of more smaller projects. What they have been doing in the last 2 years in terms of little projects have been top notch for the most part or just necessary and about time. If thats all we got for awhile I would be ok with that because each of these little jobs seems to make the zoo look much better overall. That constant state of renewal.

I would be shocked if the new bathrooms included any exhibit views. What we have seen so far from Dolf's instagram it looks like just a normal, nice upscale bathroom with great theming. If that is all it is, Im ok with it. Though a view into an exhibit would be cool admittedly.
 
I'm with @TZFan on the Master Plan. As much as I want to see it sooner rather than later, I'll believe it's ready, when it's actually ready.
 
To be fair I do look forward to the day it is ready with anticipation mixed with dread. Its our first glimpse at what the new managment really wants and the previous master plan did not give me a warm fuzzy feeling about the future. However this group is already doing thing I like so I want to have high hopes. Just have been taught not to.
 
I'm sure we'll all be sitting on the edge of our seats as we go over the details of the new master plan. I'm reserving my hopes at a low standard in order to be more intrigued rather than disappointed.
 
@cypher that is very fair. I try to set standards that low too. My problem starts when I get hopeful and they let us see sneak peaks of ideas which seem a mix of cool and real head scratchers so I'm confused. Love the savanna pavilion and will be crushed if it goes. But I still dont get the appeal of seeing my dentist at the zoo. Likewise I will never use the daycare but I do think its a good investment by fostering a love of the zoo in hundreds of kids very early on. But I do not want a rescued exotic animal section taking valuable space from species who could be part of conservation programs. I might hate that more than the dentist at the zoo... yep I do even if it means the zoo could get cool species they wouldnt otherwise get. Oh I'm a complex individual.
 
If anyone hasn't seen it yet - the facebook live with Ben was really interesting today with some insight into projects to come including:

1) Replace the boardwalk from Indo-Malay to Africa with a path through the trees between (planned) fall 2022 to spring 2023 (with a brief reference to other "steep" pathways around the zoo)
2) Increase the size of the Sumatran tiger exhibit
3) Orangutan exhibit - plumping, electrical and rockwork done next week and before holidays, research building is being poured on Tuesday) with the habitat open in spring 2022
4) Washrooms - I cannot get excited about washrooms - but African pavilion "should" be open for the holidays
5) Shade structures - bison, and misting stations for animals (and guests)
6) Spoonbill habitat is going to be expanded
7) Australasia aviary that's been closed for approx a decade is going to be cleaned and re-established
8) Front entrance - which we know about - but still referencing he is "hoping for an otter habitat". Tendering construction in fall 2022, with two years construction timing

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3897585613678168
 
That was a good one. Poor Ben clearly isnt comfortable in front of a camera but he soldiered through like a champ. He did touch on a lot of cool projects.

Neat to get an idea of how they are going to tackle the boardwalk. Big question though is the domain hill and do you even tackle it or do you close the domain by 2025 and pray you can open a new Canadian section soon thereafter. Answer is clearly unlikely so I think if they tackle the hill we will not see the domain relocated possibly ever. Interesting to see how that one plays out.

I like that they are going to work on some ground level viewing for the Sumatran tigers. The pavilion window is fine and all but you never get a great look at the tiger in well lets call it what it usually is Kemala's pen. An investment in them means we are keeping the species beyond Kemala and Hari and one day could have new cubs again. Two good yards to see them in would be ideal.

Glad to hear they are on to rock work, plumbing and electrical which should wrap up in the new year. That would definitely put it more on track to being complete for spring... which probably means summer. But hey if winter stays mild who knows how far they can get.

He did mention the next two bathrooms to be done will be at the Zootique and Splash pad. Wonder what theming they will do there at the Zootique (which he called the educational building, serves a dual purpose). I bet the splash pad will be probably focus on the ocean, likely BC coast. Definitely potential for some cool theming thanks to the theming of the area already. Love how he tried to politely say the bathrooms are garbage right now. So true. They hope to have both of those ready for spring. Hopefully that will mean the African restaurants will be done next but you probably should do those one at a time and definitely the Simba Lodge one in the winter since its such a far hike to the next bathroom.

Interesting they are doing the spoonbills. Wonder how that is gonna work. There isnt much space around it for expansion because its set down.

Long over due to get the Aussie aviary back up and running. Why not use the space? I loved when those big doors were open. Made the whole place feel so much bigger.
 
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