Baton Rouge Zoo master planning begins with listening session

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Designers tasked with re-imagining the Baton Rouge Zoo and Greenwood Park held a pair of listening sessions Tuesday, Jan. 29 to gather public input before they begin planning the project.

At the meeting, Baton Rouge area residents offered their own ideas for the park to architects from the two consulting firms. Attendees also participated in a number of interactive activities to help formulate and communicate their visions for the park.

“At the end of 2019, we’ll have a great plan for moving forward that’s driven by community input,” said BREC’s new superintendent, Corey Wilson. “We want to bring Greenwood and the zoo together as we look to bring the community together.”

The project will have to be funded with donations and grants, though a final cost cannot be determined until the master plan is completed in the fall.

The zoo designers, who are responsible for Mike the Tiger’s habitat and the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, say they want to create a single, inviting entrance that joins the park and the zoo together. From there, they say they want the park’s layout to take patrons on a path that tells a story without sacrificing the beauty of the existing area.

The design firms will hold another round of public meetings in May to analyze survey responses. To offer your own input, take the BREC survey here.

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