Fresno Chaffee Zoo announces opening date amid COVID-19. Bring a mask, officials say
Most of Fresno County’s family entertainment centers will remain closed for another two weeks, but the Fresno Chaffee Zoo announced it will open Friday under safety guidelines related to the coronavirus.
Officials at the zoo announced March 14 the park would close to all visitors. Executive Director Scott Barton said Wednesday the zoo had taken a financial hit in some of its most important months — March, April and May.
“(Reopening) is a huge deal for us,” he said. “If we can get close to our goals for the rest of the year, getting people in the zoo, we should be fine for the rest of the year.”
Measure Z, a proposal to extend a Fresno County sales tax add-on for improvements and operations at the zoo for 10 more years, was approved by voters in 2014. It covers about 30% of the budget, Barton said.
The zoo will try to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the zoo to about 1,300 people at any time, which could be adjusted, Barton said. To that end, officials recommend visitors buy their tickets online before getting to the zoo.
Patrons will be asked to bring a mask, Barton said. While the mask may not be necessary during the entire visit, crowds gather on occasion, and the mask can become necessary.
Some paths in the zoo will be made one-way to allow social distancing, officials said. Extra staffers are expected to be on hand to direct traffic.
Food sales and bird shows are expected to resume, but they will come with seats and tables spaced farther apart.
Daytime camps and other events for children won’t immediately resume, but plans are in the works. “Our intention is to have day camps this summer,” Barton said.
The zoo has worked with county health officials to ready the park, according to Dr. Rais Vohra, the Fresno County interim health officer. He said people looking to venture out into the public should continue to take the virus seriously and wear masks.
Those with underlying health issues should think twice. “When in doubt, don’t go out,” Vohra said. “For some of us, it’s just too soon.”
Fresno Chaffee Zoo received a $1.7 million loan through the federal paycheck protection program for coronavirus impacts and will use it to pay employees and utility bills, zoo officials said.
Zoo officials said they have been able to keep their 220 employees.
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 12:10 PM.
