By Carol Biliczky
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 01:08 p.m. EST, Nov 04, 2009
The Akron Zoo is taking steps to convert 16 acres of leased land into more space for attractions.
Spokesman David Barnhardt said the zoo has notified its neighbors that it is going to fence land that it has rented from the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority since 2000.
The zoo is paying $1 a year for 99 years to lease the land, which is north of the current park property.
''The first thing we plan to do is put a carousel there,'' Barnhardt said. ''We're working on the master plan now. In two or three years, we'll be making another animal addition.''
That exhibit — called Animals in the Treetops — could include monkeys and other climbing animals and would open in 2012 or 2013.
The carousel will open in August on the AMHA-leased land just north of the Lehnner Family Zoo Gardens. The zoo has hired Carousel Works of Mansfield to manufacture the $500,000 attraction's 33 animals and a chariot of hand-carved wood under a 36-foot top.
Meanwhile, the zoo is spending about $590,000 to enlarge ing its parking lot by 170 spaces to accommodate the added visitors that the carousel and future exhibits will draw.
When the current lot of 345 spaces is filled, the zoo refers visitors to Akron General Medical Center and shuttles them to the park property.
''Before we bring in any additional exhibits, we want to have enough parking,'' Barnhardt said.
The parking project will be completed by next spring.
Including the land that is to be fenced, the zoo is composed of 52 acres off of Edgewood Avenue, just west of downtown Akron.
Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com.
