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November 16, 2011
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Sustainability
An artist’s rendering shows an eco-roofatop the Oregon Zoo's planned conservation education center. The roof will slow and filter stormwater runoff and insulate the building.
Greener Future for the Oregon Zoo
Plan includes eco-roof and other energy-saving designs
The Oregon Zoo is looking to
becom e a truly “green” zoo. A
new 20-year m aster plan approved
Nov. 3 by the M etro Council will
help guide that vision.
A zoo-wide geothermal heat ex
changer, rain-harvesting systems
and green roofs are among the
elem ents of the plan that will save
energy and water, as well as re
duce operating costs. On each
new facility, the zoo is striving for
silver certification or better from
the U.S. Green Building C ouncil’s
Leadership in Energy and Envi
ronm ental Design (LEED) certifi
cation program.
At the same tim e, the m aster
plan will help the zoo implement a
new vision of expanded, more
natural habitats in which anim als
can make choices about how and
where to spend their day. Each
habitat will be larger, will include
more natural m aterials and will be
open to the air and sky, with shel
tered areas for colder seasons.
The plan lays out 20 years of
im provem ents to guest and ani
mal spaces across the zoo, ini
tially focusing on replacing and
upgrading the oldest areas of the
zoo cam pus. The most critical
need is for a new veterinary m edi
cal center, which is already under
construction and due to be com
pleted by the end of the year. A
water-saving filtration system for
the penguin pool is also close to
completion.
H abitats for elephants, polar
bears, rhinos and prim ates will
come next. A new education cen
ter, and an entirely new condor
habitat, are also part o f the first
phase o f projects.
A $125 m illion property tax
bond, passed by voters in 2008, is
funding this first phase o f m aster
plan implementation. The rem ain
ing projects identified in the m as
ter plan will be funded through
future sources.
Focus on Parks
East of 1-205
Portland Parks and Recreation has completed improve
ments to West Powellhurst Park as part of an initiate to
champion parks east of 1-205, which is a region of the city
that does not have the rich tradition of parks and recre
ational places seen in older parts of the city.
This month, the parks bureau installed new park benches
and spread fresh ADA-accessible wood chips on the entire
soft surface path at West Powellhurst.
"The park is looking better than ever," says PP&R East
Zone manager Doug Brenner. "It's a pleasure creating
improvements to existing parks for the immediate enjoy
ment of all users! We are proud to help advance the City's
E205 Initiative."
Portland Parks & Recreation finished E205 improve
ments at Parklane Park last month. An enthusiastic park
user named Julie shared photos of her family enjoying the
improved facilities, which include swings, playground
equipment, and drinking fountains.
"Thank you so much for all you do for our park,” she A mother and son enjoy the recent improvements to Parklane Park at South
wrote.
east 155th and Main.
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