FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Agenda Item No. 15

Introduced by the County Services and Finance Committees of the:                                                      

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING STAFF TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT

A ROAD CONSTRUCTION STRATEGY FOR THE POTTER PARK ZOO

RESOLUTION #10-044

WHEREAS, staff at Potter Park Zoo have been notified by the City of Lansing that there will be significant road construction on Pennsylvania Avenue from April to September of 2010; and 

WHEREAS, traffic will be reduced to one lane, in both directions,  due to repairs to the Pennsylvania Street bridge over the Red Cedar River and the left turn lane into the zoo for traffic headed south on Pennsylvania Avenue will be closed; and

WHEREAS, Zoo staff and Society staff will directly notify all groups or persons having shelter reservations, reservations for tours, programs, or events about the road construction project and provide directions for the “best” route to the zoo; and

WHEREAS, “best” route directions will be posted on the Potter Park Zoo website and communicated through various social media outlets; and

WHEREAS, the Potter Park Zoo Board directed staff to consider the impact of this construction project on zoo visitation and make a recommendation to the Board if any action should be taken; and

WHEREAS, Zoo staff requested feedback from zoos across the United States regarding the impact of road construction to their facilities and received feedback from four zoos; and

WHEREAS, the primary focus of the response was to create positive public relations at every opportunity be and mitigate any potential negative impact to visitation as a result of construction; and

WHEREAS, reduced admission fees, extension of zoo hours, weekly or monthly free day, buy one admission get one free, drawings for free admission tickets or memberships, additional events, and survival stickers and construction hats for kids are examples of incentives and ideas that could be implemented; and

WHEREAS, the Potter Park Zoo Board and the Parks & Recreation Commission supported the concept of incentives and ideas that could be implemented to boost visitation with the passage of resolutions at their February meetings.

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Agenda Item No. 15

RESOLUTION #10-044

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners authorizes Potter Park Zoo staff to modify admission fees at the Potter Park Zoo and implement the above ideas or similar ideas as needed to mitigate any potential negative impact to visitation as a result of construction during the time period April thru September 2010.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Potter Park Zoo Board, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Board of Commissioners be notified when incentives are initiated.   

COUNTY SERVICES:  Yeas:  Copedge, Schor, Celentino, Grebner, McGrain, Vickers

     Nays:  None     Absent:  None          Approved  2/16/10

FINANCE:  Yeas:  Grebner, Tennis, Bahar-Cook, Schor, Holman, Dougan

     Nays:  None     Absent:  None          Approved  2/17/10