Add Valley Zoo to city rethinking

June 5, 2009

Editorial, Edmonton Journal

For years, in our hearts, thoughtful Edmontonians of all ages have known something wasn't quite right at the Valley Zoo. It's nothing against the dedicated workers at the historic facility, who care about their charges and their educational mission, and who do their best under trying circumstances. Indeed, what with successive city councils that have ignored the park, changing public and professional perspectives on zoos and zookeeping, and a near-Victorian physical environment they didn't design, we might feel almost as badly for the staff as some of the closely confined creatures.

Almost. Certainly, the saga of Lucy the elephant has raised doubts about the whole concept in some quarters. One does not have to be a radical animal rights activist to be troubled by the aging pachyderm's living conditions. True, many Edmontonians got their backs up over a recent open letter from meddlesome liberal Toronto authors chastising us over Lucy's circumstances. But the writers weren't wrong to call for an independent assessment of whether she could be safely moved to a sanctuary with more room for her to live out her days.

To see Lucy in her tight little world --which, frankly most of us don't anymore, according to skimpy visitor statistics--is to question the very concept of humans capturing the natural world for our amusement and edification. Although there are those on the margins who are opposed to anything even resembling a zoo, most of us see the value in being able to learn about and marvel at various species up close and personal in an appropriate, humane setting.

Rather than close down the Valley Zoo or maintain the out-of-date status quo, Edmonton council--so earnestly, publicly looking to the future this year--should heed the words of ZooCheck Canada director Rob Laidlaw, who visited the city this week. Not surprisingly, he pronounced the local product "as a mishmash of ideas, concepts and themes," "thrown together." Many of the attractions we remember as charming, such as the wonderful little train, are closed for good.

Before anyone drawing upon fond memories defends the Valley Zoo anymore, they should make a visit and witness the sad present-day state of affairs.

Nor it is realistic to imagine a time when Edmonton might support a major or even triple-A zoological park. We already have one of the latter category in this province, not without its attractions and contemporary challenges, in Calgary. While that might grate on some local boosters, it is simply the way history has run its course. Parents and kids can (and should) travel less than three hours down the highway to see what the Calgary Zoo has to offer in the same spirit as visiting Head-Smashed-In or Writing-On-Stone parks, unique to southern Alberta. Transportation buffs from elsewhere travel to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin and visual arts aficionados from across the province will soon visit Churchill Square's new Alberta Gallery of Art.

But as Laidlaw sees it, Edmonton still has a real opportunity to transform the Valley Zoo into a different, marketable, legitimately educational visitor experience--and away from the traditional, one-size-fits-all menagerie-style facility it tries to be today.

For example, using its lovely location to best advantage by presenting indigenous flora and fauna in an expansive way could tell a masterful story about this area, its history and environmental future. Opportunities abound, and there are those consultants in the city and beyond who could fashion a sensible, cost-effective action plan that could make us rediscover and participate in re-imagining a forgotten gem we could become proud of once again.

Rather than remaining stuck inside the cages of denial, our famously forward-looking mayor and council should extend their future visioning to the west end, on the river.