TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - The Toledo Zoo's recently announced 10-year master plan includes several updates as well as some new exhibits.
"We're looking at a lot of new, more active sort of things that you can do to engage with animals in an exhibit. And we're also looking at new ways of displaying the animals," said Jeff Sailer, the Toledo Zoo's Executive Director.
He says what they've included in their 10-year master plan will continue to help bring that idea to life.
"We're looking at new exhibits for our tigers, new exhibits for our hippos, bringing animals like the Kodiak bear back to Toledo, which I don't believe those have been here for decades," said Sailer.
He says another noticeable change includes the old tunnel getting a facelift.
"It was a historic way that people got from the parking lot back in to the zoo. You talk to anybody about their memories of the zoo, and that's one of the first things that pops up," said Sailer.
Making the zoo more of a year round attraction is also on the idea list, according to Sailer. He says it's important for them to continue to stay relevant and be a place people want to visit.
"Getting people out there and giving them that connection with animals is not something you can get from any kind of video or digital means and so I think we provide a really, really crucial intersection between people and wildlife. And we're happy to do that and that's our mission," said Sailer.
The 10-year plan will cost over $90 million and will be funded mostly through a capital improvement levy that goes up for renewal in November. The rest will be through a variety of other sources.
The levy will cost a homeowner with a $100,000 home about $2.55 a month.
