Edmonton zoo to reopen Thursday with outdoor activities only

0
289

Capacity at the zoo will also be limited to 100 people every half hour or roughly 1,000 people per day

Article content

The Edmonton Valley Zoo on Thursday will welcome visitors back to take in outdoor exhibits but indoor facilities remain shut down until Alberta moves to ease more COVID-19 restrictions.

The province on Monday put a pause on its Step 3 reopening strategy following a rise in hospitalizations and active cases. Step 3 would have allowed movie theatres, museums, art galleries, zoos, casinos and bingo halls to open for people to gather indoors.

Zoo director Gary Dewar said the recent government announcement did cause some minor confusion about what would be open.

“The current health orders allow us to have outdoor spaces open at the zoo and once Step 3 is advanced then we will be allowed to let people enjoy our indoor spaces where some of our animals are kept,” he said. “Washrooms will be open and we’ve got select food and beverage facilities and our zoo tea gift store will be open as well, which will be slightly modified than it would be typically.”

Capacity at the zoo will also be limited to 100 people every half hour or roughly 1,000 people per day. Typically, the zoo would have a capacity of about 3,000 people per day. Visitors are required to book tickets in advance.

More to come…

A baby Bactrian camel just born March 1st at the Valley Zoo which is reopening their outdoor exhibits March 25th after closing for the pandemic in Edmonton, March 23, 2021.
A baby Bactrian camel just born March 1st at the Valley Zoo which is reopening their outdoor exhibits March 25th after closing for the pandemic in Edmonton, March 23, 2021. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia
Zoo keeper Joelle App looking after a baby Bactrian camel just born March 1st at the Valley Zoo which is reopening their outdoor exhibits March 25th after closing for the pandemic in Edmonton, March 23, 2021.
Zoo keeper Joelle App looking after a baby Bactrian camel just born March 1st at the Valley Zoo which is reopening their outdoor exhibits March 25th after closing for the pandemic in Edmonton, March 23, 2021. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia