17 Jun 2016
Lincoln Park Zoo launches US$125m fundraising campaign for new exhibits
BY Tom Anstey
Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, has announced a US$125m (€111m, £87m) fundraising campaign for major renovations to its Lion habitat and construction of a new polar bear and penguin exhibit.
The zoo has already raised US$87m (€77.3m, £61m) from private donors, with no public funding coming from the city.
London-based architects Eight Inc and exhibit designers The Portico Group are behind the plans, which include renovation and development of some of the zoo’s most important exhibits.
As part of the development, the zoo’s Kovler Lion House, originally built in 1912, will get US$30m (€26.6m, £21m) to undertake major renovations and to expand the habitat’s outdoor areas. Because of the building’s heritage status, the foundation, brick structures, glass and ceiling will be preserved. As part of the plan, the tigers currently residing within the Lion House will likely leave to accommodate the additional outdoor space for the lions.
The funding campaign will also be used to pay for the 8,400sq ft (780sq m) US$22m (€19.5m, £15.4m) polar bear habitat currently under construction, with the addition due to open to the public in late Q3 2016. The plans are an expansion of the former polar bear exhibit, which closed in 2014, with the new development including extra space and more land than water to better accommodate the polar bears.
As part of the Walter Family Arctic Tundra exhibit, the zoo is also building a habitat for penguins, with the 3,350sq ft (311sq m) Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove to house African penguins.
In addition to new exhibits, the fundraising campaign will pay for a new learning centre and classrooms for students, as well as a new visitor’s centre to replace the zoo’s Gateway Pavillion.
“This campaign is going to greatly enhance the guest experience and provide new state-of-the-art animal exhibits,” said John Ettelson, chair of Lincoln Park Zoo. “It will support our fundamental mission of keeping the Lincoln Park Zoo free and private.”
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