Toronto Toronto Zoo Community Conservation Campus | 13.5m | 2s | Toronto Zoo | Zeidler

mildlyamusingusername said:
I feel like it’s not a terrible idea to have all three. They’re all in locations where you have a combination of a focus on amusement and an area that would have benefits being observed from above.
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True. I think at the zoo it would make a great transportation system as well much like what they did at Walt Disney world.
 
mildlyamusingusername said:
Was that there when they still had the mono-rail? Can’t remember
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The zoomoblile runs mostly on the paths, it does use a few service roads now and they did close off part of the Eurasian areas to only the zoomoblile. Currently it only runs in the spring and summer but they have purchased some enclosed one's to operate them year round.







 
In a report to the next meeting of the Board of the Toronto Zoo we find the budget for the Conservation campus is exploding upwards, from ~28M to more than 41M

Even allowing for material inflation in the construction sector I find it somewhat concerning than the project estimate has now risen by over 40%, and that's before considering that the project's ambition has already
been curtailed......meaning that initial estimates have risen more than 50% on a like for like basis.


From the above:

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Oops!

Cost of Toronto Zoo project balloons by 255%​

'Getting into auditor general country,' says city councillor of $64M project
Michael Smee · CBC News · Posted: Oct 26, 2023 4:00 AM EDT​

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Reports from zoo staff show that in October 2021, the zoo board opted to add other amenities — including a set of classrooms, an outdoor event space, and display areas for endangered species — to the front gate project. That boosted the original $18 million price tag to $28 million.

In 2022, the estimated budget was increased to $41 million. After a contractor was hired earlier this year, the budget rose again to $64 million, an amount approved at the board's most recent meeting on Oct. 23.

Inflation, expensive green construction regulations and increased material and labour costs in the aftermath of the pandemic are to blame for the latest budget increases, according to zoo staff and board members.
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DeJong said the front gate and public space additions should be completed within the next three years. He says zoo staff have contingencies built into the budget, should the cost of the project rise between now and then.

"Our goal is to have this project completed on time and on budget," he said.

The new features will be located just outside the zoo's new gates in the outer plaza area, so they'll be available to the general public, not just zoo customers, said Scarborough Coun. Jamaal Myers, who is also a zoo board member.

"One of the things I deal with the most as a councillor is different community groups wanting space," Myers said. "So if we're adding to the net overall availability of community accessible space, yeah, it's desperately needed in Scarborough, particularly in that area."
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The project's new, bigger cost will be covered by the zoo's 10 year capital budget, DeJong said, as well as donors and the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy fund. City council will have to approve the reallocation of funds.

Holyday, who is not on the zoo board, says he's concerned about how it's setting its spending priorities.

"People need to think very carefully about what their mandate is, what they're there to deliver and think about whether or not this is the right time to expand even further," he said. "Maybe stick to what the original plan was, which was a refreshed front gate."
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Or perhaps they should have started building with urgency to stay ahead of inflationary costs?
 
Towered said:
There's no way that was ever serious. Toronto is WAAAAAY to cheap to ever consider premium technology like that for a remote tourist attraction.
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...I would of also added: Too unimaginative, stuck-up and retentive to make it a growing list here. /sigh
 
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