The Emporia City Commission agreed to move up to $40,000 of parks money into a fund for zoo improvements Wednesday.
The improvements were recommended during the zoo’s last accreditation review by the Aquarium and Zoo Association, Director Steve Trebilcock told commissioners. Reviewers asked for:
• The installation of fences in the bison display, for safety areas.
• Cages in the zoo’s education center to separate educational animals from the rest of the collection.
• Barn cages for winter storage.
• A small veterinary building on the north side of the entry road into the zoo area, so that veterinarians can work on animals away from the other exhibits.
• Reconstruction work in the main park barn.
The city’s contribution is not to exceed $40,000, which would be in addition to a $10,640 donation from the Emporia Friends of the Zoo for a maximum total of $50,640.
“We don’t think it’s going to be that high,” Assistant City Manager Mark McAnarney told commissioners.
“This is not going to be a Taj Mahal state-of-the-art veterinary building,” Trebilcock agreed as he went through the list of improvements. “This is a metal building on a concrete slab.”
The city’s contribution is from the special park fund. None of it is from the proceeds of the Lake Kahola sale, which has been earmarked specifically for park improvements.
The zoo work is scheduled to be done by June 30.