The shape that Riverside Zoo is in....

Seriously what I want to know is Why it is still called a zoo? It use to be, when there was seals, elephants, lions and tiger and bears. Ooo my. Now it is nothing more than a park. Maybe it is time for some new blood in the park.. Maybe some of you Topix City Leaders, should bring it up at the next commission meeting.

So some cleanup has been done around the bear cages. Thats a step in the right direction at least. Now if we can deal with some of the safety issues, like exposed wiring in Kiddy Land.

ask one who knows wrote:

The man doing therapy was doing just that and he does drive his wife to Dr. visits when they are in large cities. She can't see well enough to drive on turn pikes. He does not close the zoo on Sunday so he wasn't responsible for you being locked in. If people would read the signs and get out by closing time no one would be locked in. Get your facts straight before you go sounding off! Quit telling lies about people you don't know. Or are you the trouble maker I think you are?

If she can't see well enough to drive on the turnpikes maybe she shouldn't be driving at all...just a thought... and if her husband is having problems staying awake maybe he shouldn't be driving either....maybe he should start realizing that there are people watching..and have seen him run over the curbs as well as sleep in the truck down by the one way.

Mindseye wrote:

So some cleanup has been done around the bear cages. Thats a step in the right direction at least. Now if we can deal with some of the safety issues, like exposed wiring in Kiddy Land.

It's gonna take a lot more than reacting to a complaint by someone with power to keep the place going in the right direction!!

Why don't all of you go the next comissioners meeting and ask them the questions you've been asking here. It doesn't look like they read topix

When is the next comissioners meeting? Does anyone know the proper procedure to present pictures?
The local government has recieved letters about this subject, but perhaps a more direct approach is required.

Mindseye wrote:

When is the next comissioners meeting? Does anyone know the proper procedure to present pictures?
The local government has recieved letters about this subject, but perhaps a more direct approach is required.

Show up to the commission meeting early and ask to be put on the meeting agenda. Without being on the agenda, you may not get a chance to speak. If you are on the agenda, they will give you a chance to speak on an issue. Keep your speech short and to the point. Try to have your facts in order and well researched.

Good Luck

Was just at the park on Sat. evening. The flower beds are out of control. I saw the pipe and the spring that were sticking out of the ground. Very dangerous! And my daughter and her boyfriend got locked in the zoo about 2 weeks ago. They checked the time before they went in and it said the gates were locked at 9pm. Then tried to get out at 8:45 and the gates were already locked! They had to climb over the fence to get out.

There is a park board that meets every first monday of the month. You can find the link on the city site under calander of events. It even lists the members.?ope this helps!

jackbone wrote:

Seriously what I want to know is Why it is still called a zoo? It use to be, when there was seals, elephants, lions and tiger and bears. Ooo my. Now it is nothing more than a park. Maybe it is time for some new blood in the park.. Maybe some of you Topix City Leaders, should bring it up at the next commission meeting.

So many changes in USDA regulations make it hard for small town zoos to have some of the animals you referred to. Zoos are required to keep at least two elephants now, and RMZ doesn't have the space or money for that. Lions and Tigers eat meat, which is expensive. Any animals that would have a water enclosure would require too much time and money, as well as someone with training in dealing with aquatic mammals. They do the best they can with what they can.

Where is Riverside Zoo at? Is it in another town? But speaking of Zoo's, has anybody been to Ralph Mitchell Zoo lately in Independence Ks? Here is a Link to its website...
http://www.forpaz.com/zoo.htm

using the inmates to do the clean up would be one good idea,but where is the community pride? i grew up in this as well as some of you and enjoyed the park as a kid. i have taken my children there too, and i would be willing to give back by helping lend a hand. why leave it to inmates whose community pride may be nonexistent. if we aren't willing to do more than complain or bitch in this forum, then no matter what "improvements" are made, we will still sit back and bitch about something else. "they didn't fix this right" or "they cut this shrub wrong", etc. let's step up to the plate people and help beautify a piece of our community

If you would like to organize a community group, do it, I am sure you could find pleanty of recruits. Start your community organization, name your selfs, and petetition the city counsil to make it happen.. I bet they would go for it, with restrictions...

Did i mention there is a park board that decides where funding goes and improvements. At least that what the city page says?

If you go to the web sight it states there are 200 spices of animals at Ralph Mitchell Zoo. I wish someone would learn to count. There is know where near that number of animals in the zoo.

The website stated there were bears and cougars at the bottom- I must have missed the cougars due to the empty bages

"cages"

They didnt say different types of species did thay? With the animals on the one way the rabbits ducks geese birds squirles and other animals in cages their could be 200 animals.

GGGZZZ wrote:

The website stated there were bears and cougars at the bottom- I must have missed the cougars due to the empty bages

you didn't miss the cougars...they died.. maybe you should ask what they were being fed and how quickly their diets were changed.

By leaving the exhibits "natural" it's easy to maintain and they really can put their time into important things.(sleeping on park benches). Also do we really want a $30,000+ director mowing, clean restrooms and watering flowers. Seems like that would be an entry level job and he should be make decisions and improving the park and zoo.