Hi Everyone,
Here is a bit of operational detail to add to Dave’s message.
- Construction will begin the second week of February. Actually, Horticulture has already started moving plants out of the construction area and trimming back plants they aren’t planning to move.
- The work may take a month to complete (mid-March). We hope it will be all wrapped up well before the beginning of Spring Break camp. Since the trees are arriving in semi-completed pieces and then assembled and finished on site, everyone predicts this will be the case.
- The stairs to the lower level of the Discovery Forest will be closed and inaccessible for the duration of construction. However, we will still have programs in the lower level classrooms and the Volunteer Enrichment team will still be building enrichment items on the portion of the lower level not impacted by Moe’s tree project. This means that Zoo Academy students, enrichment volunteers and our program participants will have to use the elevator, or stairs on the east side of the building, to get to their classrooms/area.
This is a fantastic new element that will be great for sloths and people. If you want to come over and see it being assembled and finished, the second-floor walkway is a great vantage point to see it all happen without getting in the way or disturbing the construction team. Besides, we like visitors at the Education Center.
Thanks,
T. Dan Marsh
Director of Education and Volunteer Departments