Zoos hold a spot in my heart. From the time I was a young girl, my parents took us to the Phoenix Zoo just about once a month. My mom had a special satchel, she called her “zoo purse” and whenever I saw her packing it up with crackers for the turtles, water bottles, and any other item she thought we may need, I knew it was going to be a great day. Years later I was visiting my friend in Brooklyn, which is one place to find a “boutique” which is always charming.
Whether it’s a boutique record store, a boutique coffee shop, a boutique dress store or a boutique hotel in New York, the place to find these small and often times family owned businesses, is along the streets of Brooklyn. We had spent the week ’boutique-ing” our way through the city and were ready for another day of just the same, when Robert’s sister asked if we would watch her 5 year old daughter. We said yes, both of us knowing that we really weren’t certain of the best ways to entertain a 5 year old for a few hours.
We figured boutiques were out, and Robert thought for a moment and came up with the Prospect Park Zoo. Zoos! Of course! The first incarnation of the zoo at Prospect Park, was during the 1880′s under the title of the “Prospect Park Menagerie”. By 1910, the Menagerie had already become obsolete as more knowledge was gained on how to best house animals in captivity. Almost eighty years later, a partnership was formed between the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of New York, and their combined efforts resulted in the Prospect Park Zoo of today.
The 37 million dollar renovation began in 1989, and while historical structures were preserved, the living conditions of the animals was totally revamped, creating enclosures for the various species that were as close to the natural habitats as possible. Robert’s niece thoroughly enjoyed her day. I packed a “zoo purse” for the occasion, and in the light of that little girl’s eyes, I found a bit of my past and a bit of my childhood wonder.
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