Mayor Joseph P. Ganim
Bridgeport, CT
For Immediate Release For More Information:
August 31, 2016 Av Harris (203) 814-7992
av.harris@bridgeportct.gov
-Press Release-
Mayor
Ganim, Beardsley Zoo Officials Break Ground on New Kitchen and Commissary for
Animals
State-of-the-art
Food Preparation Facility for Animals will Replace Decades-old Facility
YouTube Video of announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv9VoZ7gz1A
Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joe Ganim today joined Beardsley Zoo
officials to break ground on construction of the new kitchen and animal
commissary. Once completed, the
commissary will be central to preparing meals for the animals according to
their specialized diets prescribed by the zoo veterinarian. The new
state-of-the-art commissary will replace a decades-old facility and feature a
large window so visitors can see how the food is prepared. The kitchen will
also be able to house more zoo volunteers and help launch animal care
educational programs.
“The new kitchen will not only better
serve our animals, but it will also be another visually engaging feature the
Beardsley Zoo will offer to many visitors from the region,” said Mayor Ganim. “The Beardsley Zoo is an educational and fun
attraction – the only zoo in Connecticut – and draws thousands of visitors and
schoolchildren from all over Connecticut and Westchester County as well as neighbors
from surrounding towns. Having this new kitchen
so our animals get the nutrition they need will only help attract great new
exhibits and bring even more visitors to this special place.”
Beardsley Zoo Director, Gregg Dancho
said, “The health of the animals is our top priority at the zoo. The new
kitchen and commissary will allow the Animal Care Staff to prepare the diets of
our residents in an up-to-date kitchen. What is so great about this new kitchen
and commissary is it will also serve as an exhibit for the public. Visitors will be able to see staff prepare
food and create diets for the animals.”
The current kitchen made headlines in
1950, when the Beardsley Zoo was on the cover of Look Magazine for having the
most state-of-the-art kitchen for animal care. The renovation of the facility will once again
set the Beardsley Zoo apart for superior diet for animals. Diet is a vitally important component of
animal care and the food that is prepared is as varied as the animals that
consume it. Special diets are created
for each species which is overseen by the zoo Curators and the zoo
Veterinarian. The new kitchen will allow
the staff to do their jobs with more comfort and ease. The Animal Commissary will be up-to-date with
a stainless steel food prep area, new cooler and freezer units. The project is
estimated to be completed by the first of the year.
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