Henry Vilas Zoo Arctic Blast
QWANtify was honored, in January 2006, to be asked to participate as an ambassador in the Henry Vilas Zoo’s Arctic Blast campaign. The very successful silent-auction fund raiser, consisting of food, wine and music, was held on February 20, 2006, at Electronic Theatre Controls.
The Henry Vilas Zoo, in Madison WI, is undertaking a large Zoo Century Campaign. The campaign has a goals of $27 Million in 10 years, supporting major renovatons at the FREE Henry Vilas Zoo. Extensive planning and research for this campaign has been underway for three years. As we approach the hundredth anniversary of the Zoo, renovations resulting from the Zoo Century campaign will ensure that the Henry Vilas Zoo is able to provide the best possible animal exhibits and animal care for another 100 years. The Zoo will be able to remain a valuable asset to the community. All families, especially children, will continue to have the unique opportunity to learn about and better understand the animal kingdom, and our role in conserving it.
The first two major renovation projects in the Zoo Century campaign are a new Arctic Passage exhibit (polar bears/seals/reindeer/snow owl) and a completely redesigned Children’s Zoo. The Arctic Passage will provide visitors a journey that can educate and entertain at the same time. It also marks a big change in zoo exhibits because the Arctic Passage is designed to bring the visitor into the habitat. The complete renovation of the old Children’s Zoo will include a Conservation Carousel, interactive exhibits that bring visitors and animals together year-round, and new indoor and outdoor classrooms for the over 30,000 children who annually attend animal education programs at the Zoo.
The Arctic Passage exhibit and renovated Children’s Zoo are only the first phases of redevelopment. With the support of this community, the resulting redevelopment could very well become the model for zoos renovations around the world. The Henry Vilas Zoo will become a destination where families can interact with habitats and animals like they never have before, and the Zoo will be provide a better, healthier, more natural way to care for the animals.
Future Zoo Century improvements include an African Safari Lodge & Mixed Species Exhibit, an improved visitor’s plaza, utilities and infrastructure improvement and a new grizzly bear exhibit.