Detroit Zoo

My friend sent me an email this morning. The email said something....Zoo closing! Help!

I said, "oh foolish friends. Ron Kagan, director of the zoo, just sent an email and a newsletter telling me (personally. yes personally...) he's got it all under control. You see...the city realizes since it can't collect garbage in an effective manner, it obviously can't afford to run the Detroit Zoo. They're turning over operations to the state but the city will still hold onto the property and animals."

I was wrong.

I uh....just don't know what to say.

I'd hoped that by the time I wrote this I'd have a nice letter I put together about how it's a very bad idea to take away the zoo. Instead, in my email, I said things like, "Hey! What? Don't!"

Which is an incredibly effective method for getting people to listen to you. In case you wondered.

I'm posting this because I'm hoping someone out there has come up with a good letter to send to City Council.

You're going to go here and write a letter. I'm hoping you have soemthing better than I have to say.

If someone has a nice form letter, maybe a little more well formed than mine: "Hey! What? Don't!" please email me or post it in the comments.

This just can't happen. Can not happen. I wish I was smarter at times like this but I"m not, but maybe you can find some smarter people to talk about this with here.

Remember how I said I feel uneasy in this area? Because the automotive industry guides us and leads us into the lows with them? I just. This just doesn't help.

Technorati Tags: Detroit Zoo

I just don't know how you have any kind of meaningful dialogue about keeping a state resource open when you come up with this kind of utter bull shit.

"The symbolism is that Detroit is a black city and that we’re unable to govern ourselves. So we need an overseer, the state legislature, or what have you, to step in and tell us what we must do and how to do it … That is a racist attitude. I resent it very much. I’m trying not to let it color my judgments, but we’re not a plantation, blacks aren’t owned by white folks anymore …"

No one is saying that you short sighted, small minded idiot. THE CITY OF DETROIT IS IN DEBT. An estimated 169 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH. The city of Detroit DOES NOT HAVE THE FUCKING MONEY TO RUN THIS INSTITUTION.

You would rather shut down this state resource than admit your city is in over it's head? Because that's like saying you're on a plantation? YOU DON"T HAVE THE MONEY TO RUN THE FUCKING ZOO.

But when you face this kind of 'us' vs. 'them' mentality, I'm just not sure there is anyway to fix this.

We need out of this state.

Update: Thank you for the emails about this, here is a petition you can sign. Go ahead.

Comments

[margalit]

Something similar happened in Boston a number of years ago. Our zoo is split into two separate locals about 25 miles from each other. The main Boston zoo is... oh, sad would be a good word for it. It's in the middle of downtown in a pretty rough neighborhood, and there was just no money to run it for a while. They got rid of animals and barely held on. But they made it a private foundation and solicited a lot of sponsorship money and slowly it is being brought back and rebuilt to someplace you actually wouldn't mind going to. They do all sorts of extra programs, sponsor b'day parties, and will do just about anything to keep the Zoo afloat.

Maybe if you research how the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo rebuilt themselves, you could find some solution for the Detroit Zoo other than layoffs and an uncertain future for the institution, the employees, and the animals.

[Melissa Summers]

I don't actually run the zoo.

No our zoo is funded in large part by private donors and day camps and birthday parties.

The city of detroit oversees it's day to day operations, hiring all the people who make it work. This plan, the council voted down because it isn't a plantation, allowed the zoo to hold the property and the animals but allowed the zoological society to accept state funding to keep it running.

The Detroit City Council would rather shut down the zoo than admit it DOES NOT have the resources to run it.

I love that kind of long term thinking.

It's that kind of long term thinking that makes our city a hot spot in the USA.

Idiots.

[karenh14]

I'm a total lurker, but I live in the Detroit area and I've been reading your blog for months.

I almost lost my mind when I read the Free Press article this morning. I cannot believe that the council forfeited four million dollars from the state because of their refusal to recognize that they cannot afford to maintain control of the zoo. They want the power/status of controlling the zoo, but they simply do not have the cash. I am always surprised by local politicians' egos and short-sightedness. I guess I shouldn't be anymore.

My 3 year old has finally stopped whining about the departure of the elephants, God help me if we lose the zoo . . .

P.S. I went to Harp's in Birmingham today. You inspired me -- I hadn't been to that type of store since my mom dragged me to one to find something to wear for my wedding dress.

[Sunny]

Please please let this zoo stay. The last thing we need in our larger cities is less chance for our children to learn and grow through experience.

[Lena]

This is a travesty. How dare they take away one of the few opportunities children have to experience something beyond their freaking video games! It just tickles me endlessly that they are taking away from the children.

Detroit's priorities and economy are bankrupt. I am so sorry that you're dealing with this crap.

Try coming to California where people buy groceries with their equity line checks. When the housing bubble bursts we'll be in the same boat.

Hope you're having a beer and relaxing with Logan right now. And not thinking about this.

[baseballmom]

Our zoo is run by our parks board (county). A few years ago, our zoo was getting really run down, with broken filters in the aquarium, dead fish, etc. The parks board put a bond on the ballot for voters, and got a large amount of money from voters who did not want our zoo closed down. The voters have since approved another bond and our zoo is now a state of the art zoo with new exhibits being built all of the time, and national breeding programs. Could your city look into doing something like this? Maybe it could be researched by googling Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium (our zoo).

[Dorothee]

I think you're bringing your point across quite well and assuming that your site gets a lot of (local and national) traffic, it's worth commenting on this despite the fact that you're obviously not the Zoo Director (though it may not feel like that on occasion).

Anyway, I hail from a town where there has not been a zoo since WWII when the animals got evacuated because of the bombings. That's a shame because zoos are an important service for the local community. Aside from offering families a nearby destination for weekend outings, they can teach children to love and respect other living beings as well as hopefully some humility in the presence of Nature's great creations.

I also feel that closing the zoo is a statement of bankrupcy in more ways than one. When the city is incapable of running such a service (great surprise since they're all double majors in business and zoology), they should fess up to that fact and hand over the running to people who actually know what they are doing.

For five years, we lived in Englang, about an hour's drive away from Chester zoo. It's privately funded (hence not costing local governments a single dime) and a great place to visit. http://www.chesterzoo.org.uk/corporate.asp

Let's hope that your (online and otherwise) popularity will put some weight behind the suggestions you'll doubtless receive.

[Allison]

Melissa, you were the first person I thought of when I saw this horrible news. I am an awful writer but a good follower! so...if there is a good form letter out there, I would absolutely send it along.

[Kirstination]

May I recommend Chicago? I lived in Chicago for nearly 10 years and somehow let my husband (MH) talk me into returning to Michigan. Big mistake. We’ve been in Rochester for 2 years and cannot wait to get out of here. I lost 1/3 of my income & MH has lost closer to ½ of his by returning. We feel fortunate we were able to find jobs at all. We are starting to plan our move back and I can’t tell you the weight that has lifted from my shoulders just knowing that there are more opportunities for us in Chicago.

[Kirstination]

May I recommend Chicago? I lived in Chicago for nearly 10 years and somehow let my husband (MH) talk me into returning to Michigan. Big mistake. We’ve been in Rochester for 2 years and cannot wait to get out of here. I lost 1/3 of my income & MH has lost closer to ½ of his by returning. We feel fortunate we were able to find jobs at all. We are starting to plan our move back and I can’t tell you the weight that has lifted from my shoulders just knowing that there are more opportunities for us in Chicago.

[tinarina]

ugh. i hate that this is happening. i so want good things for detroit and for michigan in general. i too live in chicago and would second its recommendation, although i know how completely unrealistic that is for you. my husband and i are both originally from michigan and we keep hoping that some day there will be reason enough for us to move back there, as both of our families are still there (not that family isn't reason enough, but we do have to be able to make a living) and yet things like this keep happening, making it less and less likely that we would ever leave chicago. of course, we love chicago for a million reasons, and don't ever see ourselves wanting to leave, but still, i love michigan too and i wish that things there would turn around. the zoo, the job security, everything. it makes me so sad. i'll be hoping for the best for you melissa.

[libbyfish]

Perhaps if Kwame traded in his $25,000 a month SUV for a more "economical" car like say a used Neon... there would be more money for cultural aspects of Detroit.

[jbeeky]

You are officially invited to live with us in San Diego, where only 8 out of 10 of our legislators are corupt, we are in hundreds of millions of dollars in debt, a living space the size of a pez dispenser costs 500k, BUT OUR ZOO KICKZ AZZ!!!!!!!
But I am not bitter about it.......

[Carrie]

Melissa, thanks so much for all the links. I had no idea the situation was so desperate until this morning's new! It is so depressing. I sent a letter through your link and also signed a petition. It feels like our state is just sinking into oblivion.

[JenC]

The sad part is that even the most eloquently worded letter won't make shit difference to the Detroit City Council.

It's all a power struggle. Their lame "we didn't have time to contemplate this" excuse is a load of baloney. Heck, I heard about this plan at least a month ago, and I'm just a lowly zoo member.

This is typical of the games the city council and the Mayor's office play. Until people get fed up enough to start talking with their voting rights, these games will continue, and further divide the city and the surburbs.

I guess I'm still in denial ... they can't REALLY close the ZOO?????

[Mom101]

If you need to move from Detroit, it's because of this:

[amyp]

i personally am not a fan of zoos - they depress the hell out of me - but i am sorry that detroit (and michigan for that matter) is losing another cultural resource.

my husband and i grew up in grand rapids and have talked about moving back to michigan when we have kids. it’s beautiful, affordable and we both had good childhoods there...but every time i turn around i hear another con to add to the list (weather, job market, schools).

we live in san francisco now and except for the fact that there's no way we can afford to own a home in this area - and that our family is all in michigan; we love everything about it.

family is a strong draw, but with the way michigan seems to be headed, it's looking more and more like family is the only reason to live there...

i hope for your sake, and all michiganders for that matter, that things start to turn around soon!

[JenC]

I got a link to an online petition this afternoon ... amazing that as of 2 p.m., it had been signed by 7,516 people.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/detzoo/

[Mrs. Kennedy]

As far as I can tell, the auto industry wouldn't be on the verge of turning Detroit into a ghost town if they didn't have so many pensions and health benefits for former employees to pay for, am I correct? Oh, no, we don't need any of that pinko national health care, not us.

[Mom101]

Sorry for my heinous html skills. One more time, the old-fashioned way:

www.thedetroiter.com/nov05/disneydemolition.php

[Em]

Hi Melissa...long-time reader, first time commenter.

Ugh, do I feel your pain. Though the zoo closing is not quite so bad for my husband and I living near Grand Rapids, MI, it is just yet another indicator of how bad things have become in our home state.

My hubbie and I both work in the auto industry, and it is one scary-ass time right now. We, like other commenters, love Michigan. My husband's family is here, and I lived here when I was young, moved away, and chose to return for college.

Now, as the North American auto industry crumbles and we search for ways to stay in the state, we are realizing it is probably not viable.

Like you said in a previous post, "It's going to get worse before it gets better."

Thanks for always writing so candidly,(seemingly) without reservation. You have a lot of courage and integrity.

[Jurgen Nation]

Hi,

I'm a lurker so I'm late to the party. I'm from Michigan too, and just when I thought there might (might!) be a change for the better, this happens. The attitudes of the Council scare and disgust me. I love the Zoo. I still go, despite the fact that I'm 28 and have no kids. I go by myself. I cannot believe that it may be closing. I hate the idiots who run the city.