Chippewa Park group petitions to keep wildlife exhibit open

Thunder Bay's Friends of Chippewa Park members are mounting a petition to keep the park's wildlife exhibitopen.

The volunteer group says its rallying support for the continued operation and enhancement of the Chippewa Park wildlife exhibit through two separate petitions ... because two members of Thunder Bay city council have publicly stated that the wildlife exhibit should close.

• Close Chippewa wildlife park, urges Thunder Bay councillor

The president of the group stated in a recent news release that the roughly $100,000 annual cost to operatethe exhibit is a worthwhile investment of public property tax dollars.

The exhibit is designed to ensure humane treatment of the animals and birdswhile,at the same time affording residents the opportunity to view them in their natural habitat, LorraineLortie-Krawczuksaid.

To close the wildlife exhibit is to remove this educational opportunity from our children, she continued.

Hundreds of school groups tour through the Wildlife Exhibit each June in order to expand their knowledge of the natural environment. There is nowhere else that they can go to see these animals close up without placing themselves at risk.

The Friends of Chippewa Park have launched an online petition on their web site, Facebook page and via Twitter.

The group will also collect signatures at the wildlife exhibit this weekend, as it is open for the Family Day weekend.

The group plans to make a deputation to Thunder Bay city council on Feb. 18.