OKC Zoo

[Pete]

Today, they broke ground on the new Asia exhibit, officially named Sanctuary Asia.

[d-usa]

Very excited about it. Walking from the aquarium area to the elephant exhibit feels like traveling through time at the zoo. Some buildings (the aquarium, the herpetarium, aquaticus) are really showing their age. Then you have the stuff from a few decades ago (Great EscAPE and Cat Forrest) that for me marked the turnaround for the zoo. And the new stuff (Elephants, Children's Zoo, Oklahoma Trails) is really fantastic. Even the small improvements they made last year have made a big difference IMO, especially getting rid of the big wooden fence around the Island Exhibit.

I'm really looking forward to Sanctuary Asia, and then the Africa Exhibit after that.

[_Cramer_]

THIS IS GREAT NEWS!

Any photos of the updated entrances?

[jn1780]

THIS IS GREAT NEWS!

Any photos of the updated entrances?

The western half of the parking lot is just about done.

[ChargerAg]

According to the zoo's Facebook page they had the asia groundbreaking today.

[bombermwc]

I'll be very glad when the parking lot is done. It definitely stinks parking over at Remington Park.

I'm glad to see this going in, but something that seems to be the trend right now with the zoo is pushing further out in a way that makes it pretty difficult to actually see some of the animals. I understand the habitat thing, but if the idea of a zoo is to educate people about the animals so there's interest to protect them, doesn't help if you can't actually SEE anything.

I wish we had penguins though.

[HangryHippo]

I don't know if we'll ever get to have dolphins again, but I miss having them and wish that Aquaticus would get a big redo.

[OkiePoke]

Why do we have 2 threads on this??

[Pete]

Why do we have 2 threads on this??

I merged them.

[traxx]

I don't know if we'll ever get to have dolphins again, but I miss having them and wish that Aquaticus would get a big redo.

I miss them too.

[_Kyle]

I wish we had penguins though.

Didn't we have penguins before or am I just crazy?

[Ginkasa]

Didn't we have penguins before or am I just crazy?

Only as a loaner:
http://newsok.com/article/2633025

[stratosphere]

Saw these magnificent creatures this morning

[Pete]

Photos of the zoo parking project from their Facebook page. Said it all will be complete by the end of March.

[stratosphere]

looking forward to it

[bombermwc]

Photos of the zoo parking project from their Facebook page. Said it all will be complete by the end of March.

Then on to the other side. I just hope the West portion is completed before the summer rush! With the way the weather has been this year (and who would have guessed it), the Zoo has been accessible far earlier in the year than it normally would be. All these 60 degree+ days when it's normally in the 40's has a lot more visitors going. It's great for the zoo, but stinks for timing for construction...but who could have guessed!?

[Pete]

Their Facebook page says the entire parking project will be complete by the end of March.

[jn1780]

I don't see the entire project being done by March. The west side took around 4 months.

[traxx]

I don't see the entire project being done by March. The west side took around 4 months.

Today's March.

[Bullbear]

I am more excited than I should be about the return of the Mold-A-Rama Machines!.. HOT PLASTIC KIDS!.. GET YOUR HOT PLASTIC!

[Celebrator]

I am more excited than I should be about the return of the Mold-A-Rama Machines!.. HOT PLASTIC KIDS!.. GET YOUR HOT PLASTIC!

Ahhh and they smell so good, too.

[TU 'cane]

I am more excited than I should be about the return of the Mold-A-Rama Machines!.. HOT PLASTIC KIDS!.. GET YOUR HOT PLASTIC!

Logged in to tell you this comment has me chuckling pretty good at my desk right now.

[traxx]

HOT PLASTIC KIDS!

Hot plastic kids

Hot, plastic kids

Hot plastic, kids

A comma makes all the difference.

[d-usa]

Went today and my 3 year old got her first piece of hot plastic. The bright green shiny bear is a hit with her.

And the half finished parking lot already feels a bigger than the previous version of the whole lot. My only complaint is that the sidewalk between the lot and the entrance doesn't have any cuts in it for strollers. We ended up walking in parking lot traffic until we got near the center of the lot to find a ramp to get up the sidewalk. This might be a minor complaint, but it would be nice to have a ramp cut into the curb near each row to help people with strollers and carts.

[shawnw]

You'd think there would have to be cuts for ADA compliance....