Let's cultivate a healthy public process through civil, well-informed and mutually respectful participation. Doors to the Courtyard can be found inside the Museum. Obituaries News When the large artificial tree for the bird habitat was delivered, it was supported by an even larger molded piece of polystyrene. You can also find a pool and tennis courts further into the park. Staff acknowledge in the new report that while raising ticket prices help with cost recovery, "a drastic increase of 50% within a year may impact visits and deter patrons." We took the tour when it first opened and they wanted to placate the neighbors for the construction disruption and there was hardly enough to see for maybe 30 minutes in the zoo and maybe another 15-30 minutes in the exhibit area. Express / Weekend Express The City should be proud to spend its money on such a wonderful institution. Maybe they would Landfill trash cans are left out for Greenwaste recently, these overfilled bins remained for 4 to 5 days on the street. While the city budget projected about 138,780 visitors by June 30, the actual number was less than half that: 62,634. Contact Us Storytime in partnership with the Palo Alto Library. The City Council needs to appoint a citizen commission to draw the key lessons from this fiasco so that something like that does not happen again. ^ And adding someone like the late Jack Hannah as a zoo director and PR specialist would also enhance the venue. The park is officially open from 10am until 7:30pm and features BBQ grills, picnic tables, and walking trails. The Childrens Theatre hosts a variety of productions for kids of all ages. Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - Yelp Keep it no cost to enter and donations gladly accepted! So let's see, the museum gets relocated / closed for many years, no longer free to attend, prices getting raised, and the museum is worse in almost every way to the predecessor. Sure, you can have a policy that low-income people can get reduced rates, but applying is humiliating, time-consuming, and tone deaf to the realities of our area with all the house poor who are too rich to qualify but too poor to actually afford fees like this. The decision has, however, come at a cost. Public parking is available throughout Palo Alto. And while they are at it, make the museum/zoo free to all visitors. And it's good for your heart rate and the muscles in your legs as you try to outrun anything that's not in a cage that wants to take ownership of your snack. What happened to a community benefit for all. I've been to the new museum; it's really great. This magical space is sure to excite your kiddos! Bring a blanket or low-backed chair (high backed chairs block the view for other kids) and enjoy the show! July. Hmm? After initial backlash, Palo Alto again mulls raising ticket prices for Theres also a Coast Live Oak which is over 200 years old! Yup. South Palo Alto needs this community center to be fully operationaland will need it more after many hundreds of new units of housing are built. Children can marvel at flamingos, macaws, ducks, and many unique birds. I also note that the City's projections and "goalposts" for expected revenue from the new Museum and Zoo keep shifting. Your post also doesn't tell the story of the gas transfer tax, another complicated mess. The topic of admission prices proved to be thorny last year, as staff proposed charging $18 for admission to a museum that historically allowed visitors to walk in for free. For shoppers, there are several destinations worth exploring, including the Stanford Shopping Center, which features many upscale retailers. Can we PLEASE elect moderate people to the City Council so we can build true consensus and make reasonable decisions based on mutual respect. Why is the City not proud to fund these organizations it has run for decades and decades? We used to walk by the old zoo on the way to the library and there were always lots of kids outside. Palo Alto is known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley, but do your kids care about that? 1451 Middlefield Road Whether youre looking for a family-friendly outing or a chance to connect with new friends, this season promises to be filled with fun. A handful of people asked for this--strongly supported by Greg Scharff and others on Council. Im really sad for our kids and families that it has been turned into a destination they have to reserve ahead of time to get into, playing into the overscheduling of childhood. No idea why it couldn't have remained as it was with just a little refurbishing. Im not saying hes bad by any means. With revenues falling below expectations, Palo Alto is once again considering hiking ticket prices at the newly rebuilt Junior Museum and Zoo. There was a time when there was (maybe) more disposable income but the cost of living is so much higher. PR MediaRelease It also provides an opportunity to relax, read, and learn something new. Only slightly more expensive for neighboring cities, who use spots that residents didn't sign up for. Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - Yelp Admission should be FREE for Palo Alto residents with a nominal entrance fee for non-residents. Uploaded: Fri, Sep 2, 2022, 12:39 pm Staff had assumed members would make up about 34% of daily attendance and general attendance make up the remaining 66%. Who are the people responsible for this white elephant (pun intended)? It's now turned into a pretentious state-of-the-art place for the rich which needed an ever-growing bureaucracy like this. The staff's model suggests that with $18 tickets, the Rinconada Park museum will achieve 85% cost recovery; with $10 tickets, the city would recover just 59% of its costs. Here are some fun activities you can enjoy at the Palo Alto Art Center: Art Exhibits:The art gallery is open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday and features rotating exhibits. Good luck with that. Advanced ticket purchase to the JMZ is required. Copyright Marco Zecchin/Image-Center.com. Updated: Tue, Sep 6, 2022, 9:28 am All prices are displayed per age group or reduced rate group. Let's throw Julia Morgan's commitment to progressive social causes as well. One possible way to address this is by raising ticket prices by 10% to 20% in the coming year and creating a roadmap for long-term cost recovery. Things to Do in Palo Alto - City of Palo Alto, CA And not to mention increasing its access to external power supplies by the same 3x to 4X amount? TheSixFifty.com Blogs Why not use the resources from their proposed business tax to offset the projected expenses of the Junior Museum and Zoo? "The JMZ remains one of many things that continue to depend in part on the Gas Transfer." Any city official associated with this debacle needs to resign ASAP. A handful of people asked for this--strongly supported by Greg Scharff and others on Council. You are appealing to something we care about, and perhaps in a well meaning way but also not considering the full picture, what is that called? After initial backlash, Palo Alto again mulls raising ticket prices for A friend who has a membership can barely go because the member spots are reserved all the time. I don't remember ever having trouble getting in. Some criticize staff for failure to engage the community (and there is some truth to that), but Council has not demonstrated strong leadership getting the public engaged. The things people are complaining about were inevitable when PA hired the former head of SFs zoo after the tiger mauling. Meerkat, schmeerkat. Implementing a solid plan for installing off-grade rail crossings at East Meadow, Charleston, Churchill, and where Alma joins El Camino Real??? Charging admission is problematic on so many levels. @Bryan Roberts - if the business tax passes, the revenue from it will go to the General Fund, making it available to be spent as you suggest. Backers of new Junior Museum and Zoo blast - | Palo Alto Online All four are necessary unless PA doesn't care about traffic jams. like to make a contribution to local community services and get honorable mention. Useful 1 . And it's good for your heart rate and the muscles in your legs as you try to outrun anything that's not in a cage that wants to take ownership of your snack. If you want to see wildlife, go to the forest in Tahoe, peel a banana, and wait for the wildlife to come to you. Only slightly more expensive for neighboring cities, who use spots that residents didn't sign up for. Thank you for your understanding. Go back to what worked.FREE and no reservations. There are so many fun activities for families in Palo Alto! San Francisco Zoo is $16 for kids, The Oakland Zoo is $15 for kids - and do you really think our little museum and zoo is even close to those two? The annual redesign of the tactile exhibits, which was probably the greatest gem for young children in this town, bar none, ended when he took over. Hate to say "I told you so" but I did. OF COURSE there will be differences of opinion, but if there's one thing that has never changed it is our dedication to what is good for our children. Since the walls initially were raised (during construction, years ago), the facility has kept lights ablaze all night, with shades rarely and partially drawn. "appreciation capped at something related to CPI, and a requirement to sell the property back to Stanford after 50 years." Unfortunately, the City keeps saddling it with shifting and unreasonable expectations, and is probably driving down both attendance and income by doing so. This is a great loss to the current, and future residents of the city. Now, trees along the planting strip are watered late at night by a tanker truckneighborhood trees are not offered this service and are visibly diseased. Sure, you can have a policy that low-income people can get reduced rates, but applying is humiliating, time-consuming, and tone deaf to the realities of our area with all the house poor who are too rich to qualify but too poor to actually afford fees like this. The construction manager speculated that that 24 hour illumination was needed to test the LEDs. Highly recommended, unbelievable value for the ticket price, we were able to buy tickets online same day of visit on a Saturday. Maybe they should just open the zoo to all without limitations and see how much $$ they would actually bring in. Figure it out City of Palo Alto. "Whereas, many people make considerable sacrifices so their children can attend Palo Alto schools, and many people who do not have children have a much more restricted income than seems to be assumed by city hall employees. @Bryan Roberts - if the business tax passes, the revenue from it will go to the General Fund, making it available to be spent as you suggest. Just want to know for comparison. The new business tax also exempts a great many businesses who could chip in, and get a medal to hang on their wall we support the Junior museum but that would be too much to ask. They would have had better luck increasing the prices to attend the old junior zoo (though I recall that admission was free w/ "suggested donation). on College Terrace when Stanford is the purchaser. This was once a wonderful and unpretentious museum for kids. It was spontaneous. "Kristen O'Kane, director of the Community Services Department, presented to the council a set of options for potential fees and corresponding cost-recovery levels. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. Thank you Jeremy Erman for the background about the Junior Museum pricing model as presented to staff. As of February 28, 2023, masks are recommended but no longer required. Terms of Use Developers did make millions of dollars on the "upgrade" though, so I guess it's a net win. I too know many Stanford faculty, a number of whom live in these houses not on Stanford land, and I am certain that they pay taxes based on a higher price. Get uninterrupted access to important local city government news. I don't understand. Admission fees just kill spontaneity though, and exclude people who cant afford it but would benefit the most. Were lucky we arent paying businesses to do business here, oh sorry we are. The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo provides interactive week-long science camps every summer. All rights reserved. I'm voting in favor of the Gas Transfer tax and happy it funds the JMZ. If the business tax passes, the revenue from it will go to the General Fund, making it available to be spent as you suggest. Who among us asked for this? Get the day's top headlines from Palo Alto Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter. Members receive free admission plus other benefits for an entire year. Yup. I suspect that many employees in city hall are under the misconception that if you live in Palo Alto you must have plenty of discretionary income. The business tax though couldn't be more offensive. Masks recommended, but no longer required. And while they are at it, make the museum/zoo free to all visitors. The JMZ is exactly why the city doesn't deserve approval of the Gas Transfer Tax. Angelo noted that most other museums and zoos in the area charge fees well below $18, with the lone exception of the San Francisco Zoo, which costs $18 to enter." Maybe this misconception is fueled by the wealth of those they interact with frequently. Adventures await as children can climb in a net above the zoo and explore an underwater tunnel and many nooks. Kudos to MJH for making that point. We have some of our birds behind the scenes in response to recent outbreaks of bird flu. Also curiouswhy would anyone want to book a wedding reception at a pet zoo? Activities: The library hosts a variety of fun events for kids and families, including storytimes and music classes. Outdoor Reading: The Childrens Library features a fun and inviting Secret Garden-- perfect for littles to read and explore outside. " Keep it no cost to enter and donations gladly accepted! Who among us asked for this? Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. The Palo Alto Zoo is no San Diego Zoo by any means of the word or definition. I'm SO tired of his weekly Uplift newsletter. The captive eagle that dives off the arm flapping its wings? this is bating, interpreted as distress. "A gradual increase would allow staff to engage with the community and keep community members updated," the report states. Perhaps only if they are from the Midwest as Palo Alto can hardly be described as a tourist venue. City Council might want to have a sit-down meeting with the City Manager and all senior staff and clue them in on what it is that Palo Alto residents value, what has made Palo Alto special for decades, what is sacred, and what can be changed, within reason. Don't miss out With revenues falling below expectations, Palo Alto is once again considering hiking ticket prices at the newly rebuilt Junior Museum and Zoo. Web Link Updates to the website include easy navigation, a pleasing color palette, and large imagery and videos. Children can marvel at flamingos, macaws, ducks, and many unique birds. Attending a community event can be a great way to meet new people and have fun in a unique setting. Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo 4.5 64 reviews #11 of 41 things to do in Palo Alto Children's Museums Closed now 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Visit website Call Email Write a review About A place for children and their caregivers to explore, learn, discover, play, and get curious about science and nature! When will we hit the performance target of 40,000 hours? Edward the African spurred tortoise receiving some love, A portrait of Bobby the Raccoon in his habitat. By Chandrama Anderson | 0 comments | 603 views, Home Zoo: The zoo acts as an open-air aviary where kids and adults alike enjoy immersive zoo experiences. All prices are displayed per age group or reduced rate group. Time required to visit Junior Museum & Zoo: 02:00 Hrs. Give time to your community. It seems like more drop ins donating less on average would still raise comparable amounts. Meanwhile, Cubberley Community Center, located where the vast majority of current housing growth is being planned, continues to decay after years of neglect and unproductive, poorly administered public process. The new business tax also exempts a great many businesses who could chip in, and get a medal to hang on their wall we support the Junior museum but that would be too much to ask. Read the full story here Web Link posted. The following overview lists the admission prices and various discounts and discount codes for a visit to Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo in Palo Alto. Let's go moderate and find solutions to problems such as this one without having to listen to lefty woke people trying to drive a wedge between north and south PA and righty development $$$ only. Maybe they should just open the zoo to all without limitations and see how much $$ they would actually bring in. Registration for Summer 2022 Science Camps starts February 3rd for Palo Alto Residents and February 10th for families living outside of Palo Alto. Feeding times: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for each person over 12 months of age. Try the best online travel planner to plan your travel itinerary! That success, however, has created its own problems, with members overbooking reservations that they do not use and making it harder for visitors to drop in. The cost to enter the museum and zoo should be exactly ZERO. We know it can be a challenge to keep little ones engaged especially with all those wiggles! Thank you Jeremy Erman for the background about the Junior Museum pricing model as presented to staff. The City was not going to "foot" the bill then and it sure is not going to now. Hike in the nearby foothills, bike along the scenic trails and waterways, and picnic in the many local parks. Why is the City not proud to fund these organizations it has run for decades and decades? The City Council has been pretty vocal about its top priorities for the large-businesses tax (Measure K). Is there any other way you can think of to protest this? Community centersprovide a space for socializing, accessing resources, and participating in cultural activities. Any city official associated with this debacle needs to resign ASAP. Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go Middlefield and Embarcadero are already traffic nightmares especially in school commute times." What role did the Friends of Junior Museum and Zoo, the City Council, and Staff play in this? Palo Alto is home to several shopping and dining options that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. Updated: Tue, Sep 6, 2022, 9:28 am This eliminates all other market buyers, is this legal, and how? "appreciation capped at something related to CPI, and a requirement to sell the property back to Stanford after 50 years." A&E Plans need to be vetted by an informed public. But it was always like the low-key young childrens place of exploration was beneath him, and early partial renovations were in the image of big zoos and lacked prior warmth and charm. Palo Alto, CA 94301, Home - Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - Logo, Americans Motivations for and Barriers to Engaging with Science. Per status quo CC and highest earning city staff boot kids and families to the curb, crying poor, poor city coffers. All rights reserved. All the logic in the world to collect $9 million has not convinced my stomach. Citizen speaking the truth. Whether you're in the mood for Asian fusion, Italian cuisine, or farm-to-table fare, you'll find something to satisfy your taste buds here. Staff had assumed members would make up about 34% of daily attendance and general attendance make up the remaining 66%.
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