Friends of High Park Zoo Welcomes Restored Operating Funding For High Park Zoo
- Friends of High Park Zoo Welcomes The Reinstatement of Operating Funds in 2014 Budget
- Our Role As a Vital Link Between the City and Its Residents Remains Ongoing
- Capital Fundraising to Be Included in 2014 to Improve and Enhance High Park Zoo
- Our Vision and Mission Remain Unchanged, We Look Forward to an Exciting 2014 at the Zoo
TORONTO, January 31, 2014
Friends of High Park Zoo notes that yesterday Toronto City Council approved their final 2014 budget that included the reinstatement of the $228,000 of annual operating costs for High Park Zoo. While this reinstatement is welcome as it corrects the 2012 decision to cut the funding for High Park Zoo (forcing Friends of High Park Zoo into action to keep the Zoo open by raising $342,000 of operating costs that were paid to the City over two years), Friends of High Park Zoo continues to see its role as a vital, ongoing connection between the City and its residents.
Thank you to our visitors, volunteers and all of our stakeholders for helping to raise awareness and support for High Park Zoo over the past two years, says John Formosa, Chair of Friends of High Park Zoo. With over one million visitors passing through the gates since the beginning of 2012, Toronto residents have shown that the 120 year-old High Park Zoo is a valuable resource that should be supported by their tax base.
Now with restored Zoo operating funding, Friends of High Park Zoo, in addition to running its llama pen and other family activities throughout the year, will be looking to include capital project fundraising in 2014 in order to improve and enhance the Zoo. Some examples of needed investment for the Zoo include making it more accessible to the public, improving the animal paddocks and creating more educational components for our visitors.
Even with the return of sustainable operating funding to the Zoo, Friends of High Park Zoo Vision remains unchanged: To ensure there is always a free community zoo in High Park for families to enjoy. Our Vision continues to be supported by our Mission: To enhance High Park Zoo for the benefit of all visitors by leading activities that engage the community, while promoting education, awareness and fundraising for the Zoo.
We look forward to an exciting 2014 at High Park Zoo as we embark on our next chapter. Remember to Donate, Volunteer and Visit. This allows us to enhance your High Park Zoo.