City of Toronto votes to sell Toronto Zoo?

[Disney Addicted]

Am I reading this article correctly? Did the City of Toronto really vote in favour of selling the Toronto Zoo? I did not even know the Zoo was owned by the City.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/toronto-mayor-braces-2nd-debate-cuts-131643288.html

"Austerity measures that passed included the sale of the Toronto Zoo and three city-run theatres, as well as the elimination of paid-duty police officers at construction sites."

 

[mountain man]

Yup owned and operated by the City of Toronto. They voted to look in to selling the Zoo. At the moment it is not a big money maker, actually loses money, so who knows if they can find someone to buy it.

 

[Disney Addicted]

I realize it's not a money maker, but I wonder if selling is a good idea. I guess it depends on who the buyer is and what they do with the Zoo. Considering how large an attraction it is, it must make people consider Toronto when they look around for a place to spend the day, weekend or longer.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Actully more people who come to Toronto seem to know more about African Lion safari and want to go there.

 

[roxysmum123]

I guess it depends on who the buyer is and what they do with the Zoo.

Totally depends on the buyer. Hopefully it's someone who has a clue about the needs of the animals and makes good decisions for their welfare like the decision that was FINALLY made for the elephants to move them elsewhere. Should have been done years ago.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Actully more people who come to Toronto seem to know more about African Lion safari and want to go there.

I can't disagree with that! Our family would travel longer to get to ALS than to the TZ. Love ALS!!

Totally depends on the buyer. Hopefully it's someone who has a clue about the needs of the animals and makes good decisions for their welfare like the decision that was FINALLY made for the elephants to move them elsewhere. Should have been done years ago.

Agreed!

 

[thehowells]

see i despise african lion safarri, even more so after doing the safarri at ak, it just seems so unreal, lions lying on concrete pads, etc

 

[Csaks]

I hope they do, the place is run down and in need of a facelift. Being a yearly member for awhile and it is disappointing to see it slowly fall apart. There is a reason that it is slowly going downhill, you need to spend some money to keep people coming back and the city doesn't have it. Hopefully someone will buy it and put some money into it, including a bigger winter area for the elephants so they don't have to leave.

 

[thehowells]

i was there this summer and quite enjoyed it

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I can't disagree with that! Our family would travelling longer to get to ALS than to the TZ. Love ALS!!

I was working at a tour/ Concierge desk over the summer an actually managed to talk some guest out of going to ALS and go to the Toronto Zoo instead.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I hope they do, the place is run down and in need of a facelift. Being a yearly member for awhile and it is disappointing to see it slowly fall apart. There is a reason that it is slowly going downhill, you need to spend some money to keep people coming back and the city doesn't have it. Hopefully someone will buy it and put some money into it, including a bigger winter area for the elephants so they don't have to leave.

I'm a member too and go at lest once a month. I don't think it's run down at all. The only things that don't get any TLC are the two stations for the domain ride that doesn't run anymore. As for the elephant habitat that is next on there list after they move the grizzlies and the other animals in the Canadian domain to somewhere near the Tundra area. Also for some reason they want to brin in Pandas.

 

[dopeyluvsgrumpy]

The Toronto Zoo is way too expensive for the average family to visit. We're a family of 5 and by the time you add in admissions and the $10 parking fee its cost over $100 and thats bypassing the monorail and rides. Since we don't live close to the zoo a season pass doesn't work for us.

 

[nokanda]

While the zoo can be pricey, a family outing to a movie with popcorn/drinks is just as expensive. At least at the zoo we can spend a whole day and save money by packing a picnic lunch.
Its sad to see them considering selling it, especially since all the important conservation work they do in saving canadian species would probably be the first stuff to go if it became private. Just this week they won an award for helping to save the vancouver island marmot.
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/l...to-zoo-wins-north-american-conservation-award
BTW, a friend of mine dated a guy who worked at ALS, and TZ animal housing is light years ahead for some species, from what he told us.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Just a side-note about taking a large family to the movies --> Did you know that some theatres have cheaper prices for movies before noon?

The Whitby AMC charges only $6 per person (regardless of age) for a morning movie, 7 days a week. My husband & I took 4 kids to see "Dolphin Tale" this morning and only paid $36. Since the movie started 10:30am, I made a slightly later than normal breakfast (9am since it's a PA day and they could sleep in) and told them to drink before we left the house. No snacks or drinks that early in the morning at the theatre.

 

[CdnCarrie]

The Toronto Zoo is way too expensive for the average family to visit. We're a family of 5 and by the time you add in admissions and the $10 parking fee its cost over $100 and thats bypassing the monorail and rides. Since we don't live close to the zoo a season pass doesn't work for us.

Wow! The Winnipeg Zoo is run by the City of Winnipeg. It only costs about $15 for a family to get in and the parking is free. Of course there are no monorails or rides.

 

[nokanda]

Just a side-note about taking a large family to the movies --> Did you know that some theatres have cheaper prices for movies before noon?

The Whitby AMC charges only $6 per person (regardless of age) for a morning movie, 7 days a week. My husband & I took 4 kids to see "Dolphin Tale" this morning and only paid $36. Since the movie started 10:30am, I made a slightly later than normal breakfast (9am since it's a PA day and they could sleep in) and told them to drink before we left the house. No snacks or drinks that early in the morning at the theatre.

Great tip, thanks!

 

[Disney Addicted]

Wow! The Winnipeg Zoo is run by the City of Winnipeg. It only costs about $15 for a family to get in and the parking is free. Of course there are no monorails or rides.

$15? Wow! I can hardly imagine that! The TZ charges $23 for ages 13+, and $13 (3-12 years). Ohh, and no one gets the monorail or rides for free either. You pay extra for everything and the fee varies depending on the attraction.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

$15? Wow! I can hardly imagine that! The TZ charges $23 for ages 13+, and $13 (3-12 years). Ohh, and no one gets the monorail or rides for free either. You pay extra for everything and the fee varies depending on the attraction.

Actually members (pass holders) get on the Zoommobile for free, also parking is only charged from March to November, the rest of the year is free.

 

[CdnCarrie]

$15? Wow! I can hardly imagine that! The TZ charges $23 for ages 13+, and $13 (3-12 years). Ohh, and no one gets the monorail or rides for free either. You pay extra for everything and the fee varies depending on the attraction.

Winnipeg rates - and it's in a large city park so no parking fees required. Probably much smaller than the Toronto zoo however.

General Admission Rates

(Prices include GST)
Adults $5.00
Senior (60 years +) $3.75
Youth (13-17 years) $3.75
Children (2 - 12 years) $2.75
Under 2 years Free

 

[Csaks]

I'm a member too and go at lest once a month. I don't think it's run down at all. The only things that don't get any TLC are the two stations for the domain ride that doesn't run anymore. As for the elephant habitat that is next on there list after they move the grizzlies and the other animals in the Canadian domain to somewhere near the Tundra area. Also for some reason they want to brin in Pandas.

Maybe it is the construction worker in me but the moment you walk up from the parking area, the curbs and sidewalks at the entrance are broken and all over the place. There is no curb appeal, the globe at the front has needed paint for years, the Koi fish no longer at the front, it just doesn't have that wow factor anymore and it saddens me to see it that way.
They have done nice things inside, like the polar-bear area or the African area but first impressions are just that. I can overlook it as a person that has gone since I was a kid when it opened 30 something years ago but what about someone that has never been there?
Someone else talked about the Monorail? I wish we still had it. I loved that thing as a kid. Now all we have is a glorified Disney parking lot tram that can't go down to the Canadian domain whereas the monorail did. How in the world does someone that has a person of disability get them back up that hill, hell even down that hill. It's a great area of the Zoo but it doesn't get the traffic through there that it once did because of that hill.

Actually members (pass holders) get on the Zoommobile for free, also parking is only charged from March to November, the rest of the year is free.

It works out for us to go three times to pay for the passes for the year. We buy the yearly parking pass as well. So they only thing we spend money on are those cheap counter service laughing lunches. Getting in three trips is easy for us to do. Plus it is great training for Disney trips. Walk, walk and walk some more.