Reviewed by: Michael Seale
North Alabama Zoo announces new funding proposal
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Rejoice, wildlife enthusiasts and animal lovers, The North Alabama Zoological Society (NALZS) has announced plans to move forward with a funding proposal for phase one of the North Alabama Zoo.
The announcement comes after several years of behind-the-scenes work and some hiccups in securing a location, but NALSZ says they are ready for a vote in Limestone County and promise more information in the coming weeks.
Ready for a vote
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NALZS announced last week that they were ready to move forward with a funding proposal for phase one of the zoo.
“In collaboration with Limestone County leaders, NALZS has spent more than a year and a half developing a comprehensive funding proposal for Phase 1 of the zoo project… In conducting our research into how other zoos were established, NALZS has been fully aware that public funding would be essential for the large-scale nature of this project. With the aim of minimizing the financial burden on our community, we diligently explored every possible alternative before acknowledging that, indeed, public funding is crucial to achieve our goal.”
NALZS press release
Because NALZS intends to publicly fund the zoo, something they say is common for these types of projects, they are calling on residents of Limestone County to support them as their proposal is brought for a vote.
“We are deeply grateful for the leaders who support this project and the democratic process. While we work to gain legislative support, we are passionate about giving the county residents an opportunity to exercise their right to vote on matters that impact their community.”
Keeley Sykes, NALZS past board chair
NALZS has stated that they will provide more information on how residents can help bring the proposal to vote soon, but to support or learn more about the organization you can visit their website.
What’s the plan for the North Alabama Zoo?
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North Alabamians first learned of intentions to build a zoo + aquarium in North Alabama (specifically the Huntsville metro area) back in early 2020.
The original project sought $6 million in private funding for land purchasing and pre-construction development of the zoo and estimated a $30 million price tag for phase one of construction.
The estimated $30M Phase 1 of the project is set to include a domestic animal exhibit, Alabama wildlife exhibit, animals that have been in space exhibit, splash pad, antique carousel and carousel house, front entrance plaza with restaurants and stores, and event space.
NALZS press release from 2020.
It is unclear how their plan has changed in the 3+ years since their initial plans were announced, but NALZS has made it clear that they value public feedback and hope the zoo will serve as a center for “education, conservation and community enrichment” for North Alabama.
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