TANNER, Ala. — It's a happy, happy birthday for the North Alabama Zoological Society celebrating five years this month! The zoo is kicking off their anniversary celebration with an updated concept map.
Zoological Society Executive Director Ethan Woodruff explained that this concept map is new -- an update to the previous one. "The previous one was drawn out very specific to a very specific site that we've been working with a developer on obtaining. That developer, unfortunately, got ill and had to pull out. There's some other parts of the map that we're preparing, but right now, that's the main part of phase one of the zoo."
Woodruff said as they've worked with engineers and architects on this updated plan, the good news is that they'll be able to put this design on any site. And though they don't have a new location nailed down just yet, ".... we're still targeting the same area which is around the Tanner area, I-65 area."
Kate Bartley is a Huntsville resident who says she's been looking for more things to do with her granddaughter. "My daughter's back with my granddaughter. Just all of the ability to not have to drive all that. we just went up to the Nashville Zoo actually the other day."
Theia Fone is visiting Huntsville from the U.K. -- and while she's enjoying her stay, she would love to check out some animals on her next visit. "Elephants, giraffes." Ann and Gary Schlensker are also visiting the rocket city. They're from Fort Myers, Florida. "This is like our third or fourth trip done so and like to give the parents a break, take the granddaughter out, and we've gone to museums a couple of times, which they're wonderful museums, just looking for something different," said Ann. Gary believes this will be a great opportunity for his granddaughter to be even more hands on. "She loves the animals. and so, yeah, it'd be great. i think it's fantastic. and a half an hour drive, it's not bad."
Woodruff continued that the North Alabama Zoological Society has put together a proposal that includes public funding to purchase the land it needs... and to build phase one of the zoo. In the coming weeks, he tells us, they'll share a new way in which they're addressing some residents concerns.