StreetsOfOmaha wrote:I don't know if I or somebody else has already posted this, but I just noticed the Zoo's new web site. Wow, what an improvement!!!
I figured, Brad. I felt like I had seen it before.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
OWH wrote:One focus of his master plan for zoo projects will be on the largest of the zoo's animals.
But one of the biggest animals does not make the list of priorities: the giant panda. While Pate said he would never completely rule out pandas for the zoo, “the expense and other requirements that must be met for a loan are at present prohibitive.”
iamjacobm wrote:I noticed the article said there were no big projects in the works for the now land gotten from Rosenblatt. A slight bummer
The story also stated that there were things planned that were not going to be mentioned as far as the master plan. The updated plan would be reviewed at an upcoming board meeting. I am only guessing but I bet any details on this area would be part of the updated plan and thus not available for public comment yet.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
I just assumed that the arctic exhibit was so well publicized... that it wasn't even mentioned... instead talking about previously undisclosed, forthcoming plans.
Shoot for the Moon... if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
iamjacobm wrote:I noticed the article said there were no big projects in the works for the now land gotten from Rosenblatt. A slight bummer
The story also stated that there were things planned that were not going to be mentioned as far as the master plan. The updated plan would be reviewed at an upcoming board meeting. I am only guessing but I bet any details on this area would be part of the updated plan and thus not available for public comment yet.
Yes, let's hope that's the case. But when Simmons was the director, it seemed Pandas were more of a possibility or at least it was reported that way.
stargazer wrote: just assumed that the arctic exhibit was so well publicized... that it wasn't even mentioned... instead talking about previously undisclosed, forthcoming plans.
No Pandas was the main story here, but when has the World Herald missed an opportunity to recycle old news? Aren't newspapers in general supposed to be written on a fifth grade level?
No, Doc shot down pandas a long time ago. He told a group of people several years ago "If China wants us to have Panda's, then they will come to us, we are not trying to get them"
Basically said the same thing in the story. Too expensive, China held all the cards, no guarantee's.
Screw China and their bamboo eating bears. Zoos just want them because they can't have them. I would much rather see the penguins, or the rain forest, heck, I'd even rather see the gorillas than a |expletive| panda.
Keep them along with your tainted children's toys.
Well I'm still confused here... they mentioned some future exhibits... including apparent new elephant and cat facilities... but they didn't mention the previously publicized arctic exhibit. Does this mean we shouldn't expect to see it in the future? before these other improvements?
Shoot for the Moon... if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
Stargazer wrote:Well I'm still confused here... they mentioned some future exhibits... including apparent new elephant and cat facilities... but they didn't mention the previously publicized arctic exhibit. Does this mean we shouldn't expect to see it in the future? before these other improvements?
right that's what I was wondering too. Yet as pointed out there's a board of directors meeting in May, so it'll be interesting to see what comes out of that.
Stargazer wrote:Well I'm still confused here... they mentioned some future exhibits... including apparent new elephant and cat facilities... but they didn't mention the previously publicized arctic exhibit. Does this mean we shouldn't expect to see it in the future? before these other improvements?
Another difference is that Doc was always pro cat complex. This guy sounds like it needs to be redone.
I talked to my zoo contact on Sunday. Apparently the new zoo director will be working on cleaning up the zoo. In the past the zoo has spent most of its energy on building new exhibits to keep the membership. The new guy wants to also work on keeping older exhibits up to date, plant flowers, clear out the weeks and other visual aspects. He also wants to get rid of the cat complex, which I think was also mentioned in the paper a while back.
Brad wrote:I talked to my zoo contact on Sunday. Apparently the new zoo director will be working on cleaning up the zoo. In the past the zoo has spent most of its energy on building new exhibits to keep the membership. The new guy wants to also work on keeping older exhibits up to date, plant flowers, clear out the weeks and other visual aspects. He also wants to get rid of the cat complex, which I think was also mentioned in the paper a while back.
does it go without saying that they'd build something to replace it for the cats? i can't imagine them doing away with the complex completely (they don't have lions/tigers anywhere else) and they are still "working" on the new puma enclosure; i don't remember seeing the article and can't look right now...
thenewguy wrote:does it go without saying that they'd build something to replace it for the cats? i can't imagine them doing away with the complex completely (they don't have lions/tigers anywhere else) and they are still "working" on the new puma enclosure; i don't remember seeing the article and can't look right now...
It sounded like he wants the cats in their natural habitat. The desert cats in the dome, Jungle cats in the rain forest etc. They person I talked to also said that it would not happen any time soon.
that'd be cool. I've always thought they should have the lions outside with a little more natural/larger enclosure like they have for the cheetahs & wildebeast on the way to the garden of the senses. Same for the giraffes.
Am I the only one the slightest bit disappointed in Madagascar? Don't know why, but I was expecting more than six million lemurs. The outside walk through is lovely, but the inside is just a bit meh.
i thought they could have done more to make it look nicer than the shed it resembles now...that is, unless they have done something more to the exterior than when i was there a month ago.
Carol Bicak WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Details of the zoo's ambitious 10-year, $174 million master plan were unveiled Friday by Dennis Pate, executive director and CEO of the zoo. The 162-acre campus would be divided into sections — African Grasslands, Asian Highlands, Andean Foothills, Equatorial Africa or Coastal Shores — that offer larger and more natural exhibit spaces.
The new plan also calls for acquiring many more animals for the new exhibit areas, including pandas. Not the black and white giant species, but the much smaller raccoon-like red panda. Among the other animals to be added: camels, hippos, wolves, a Chilean flamingo and an anteater. Also new would be a Komodo dragon exhibit, to be built between the Wild Kingdom Pavilion and the Desert Dome.
In place of the current petting zoo, an Adventure Education area would include spaces — dubbed “contact yards” in the master plan — for interacting with domesticated animals from around the world. That area also is to have a Splash Zone where kids can run through jets of water, a climbing tower and a play zone with ziplines.
I guess I am kind of mixed on the plan. I like the Idea, but I think about how much money was spent not that long ago on things like the bear canyon and petting zoo, it seems like a waste to remove them.
And again no mention of "Arctic World" . The master plan doesn't seem to illustrate any room for growth, beyond that of parking. Hopefully this will give the zoo a fresh and updated look, enhancing what we already have, I thought for a long time the overall grounds have needed basic improvements.
Brad wrote:I wasn't sold at first.... but Now, I think the plan looks spectacular!
I couldn't agree more. I saw the post with the .pdf earlier, but i didn't take the time to look at it. After i did...WOW. I want THAT zoo NOW! Our zoo in its current state is pretty awesome......but THAT zoo would be [sorry to copy] truly spectacular!
iamjacobm wrote:It makes it look so much more natural. And it will just look cleaner. Also the new cat complex is 10 years overdue so happy to see that happening.
Read carefully: they will be removing the individual cat complex completely and disperse them according to natural habitat throughout the zoo.
Carol Bicak WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:In the middle of the parking area, visitors will find Infield at the Zoo. Under the plans outlined Thursday, the area will replicate Rosenblatt Stadium’s familiar blue roof as well as its infield, cut down to Little League size. Instead of 90 feet from home plate to first base, it would be 60 feet. Home plate will sit exactly where home plate is today.
Carol Bicak WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:In the middle of the parking area, visitors will find Infield at the Zoo. Under the plans outlined Thursday, the area will replicate Rosenblatt Stadium’s familiar blue roof as well as its infield, cut down to Little League size. Instead of 90 feet from home plate to first base, it would be 60 feet. Home plate will sit exactly where home plate is today.
Now that is nice. make sure you check out the link to see the graphics of what they plan. It is much more than I would have guessed they would do.
For the record NEBUGEATER does not equal BUGEATER !!!!!!!
. The master plan doesn't seem to illustrate any room for growth, beyond that of parking. Hopefully this will give the zoo a fresh and updated look, enhancing what we already have, I thought for a long time the overall grounds have needed basic improvements.