Riverview Park & Zoo Train Closing Early Due to Pumphouse Rehabilitation Work

The Riverview Park and Zoo’s miniature train is operating until Aug. 4, as it will close for the season to accommodate rehabilitation work on the Water Street Pumphouse and Dam. 

File Photo.

The Dam will undergo construction work to address concrete deterioration and improve its infrastructure to further its long-term functionality. Construction work is expected to begin this summer.

The Miniature Train Ride crosses the dam as part of its route around the Zoo area. The train cannot safely cross the dam while it is under construction.  

The train operates daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Miniature Train Ride will reopen to visitors during the long weekend in May 2026.  

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Hatch Coffee Shop Has Grand Opening at Riverview Park & Zoo

Riverview Park and Zoo and Bird Friendly Peterborough have celebrating the grand opening of Hatch Coffee Shop, a newly created, bird-friendly cafe located within the Zoo's playground area on Wednesday morning.

The Hatcg is located near the playground area of the zoo. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

It serves Bird Friendly, fair-trade, and organic coffee beans from Birds and Beans, using compostable cups, through a walk-through window located in the playground. Hatch also offers baked treats, gluten-free options, cold drinks, ice cream bars, candy and fruit.

“The new Bird Friendly Café at the Riverview Park and Zoo brings Bird Friendly Peterborough’s mission to life - showing how small changes in the human environment, like bird-safe windows, bird friendly-products and habitat-friendly spaces, can reduce collisions and support migratory birds. Protecting birds helps protect entire ecosystems, and this café sets an example of how people and wildlife can share space in a healthier, more sustainable city,” says Thomas Luloff, Bird Friendly Peterborough vice chair, .

“We are proud to be one of the founding members of Bird Friendly Peterborough and excited to take this next bird friendly adventure into eco-friendly food service as a fund generating endeavour to support the Riverview Park and Zoo,” said Cathy Mitchell, Riverview CEO and curator manager. “Our role, as part of Canadian Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) accredited facility, is to educate and inspire people about wildlife conservation across the globe. Coffee is a great topic to discuss conservation, it’s international, so we must consider not just the impact we are having on the environment locally by running a café, but the effect we are having on the farming landscape on a whole different continent, by buying coffee beans grown 1000’s miles away.”

Regular Hours of Operation:

• Wednesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (through Labour Day)

• Weekends only (Saturday and Sunday) throughout the fall and into the winter season

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Riverview Park and Zoo Operating Under Summer Hours

The Riverview Park and Zoo’s summer hours are in effect, running from 8:30 a.m. to dusk daily.

IN CAPTIVITY, RIVER OTTERS HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ABOUT 25 YEARS. PHOTO COURTESY OF Riverview Park and Zoo.

Sunday Summer Concerts have returned to the zoo’s Gazebo. This free bi-weekly event features local musicians and groups performing every other Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

The City encourages visitors to bring a lawn chair and a shade umbrella to enjoy these concerts in an outdoor setting, weather permitting.  

The next concert, scheduled for June 8, features Fyd-L-Styx, showcasing traditional Scottish and Irish folk songs and fiddle music.  

The miniature train ride is now in operation. The train operates daily during the summer, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting. The cost is $2 per person, with children two years old or under riding for free.  

Cleanup from the late-March ice storm is still underway in some areas of the Zoo. Visitors are asked to follow all posted signage and remain out of barricaded areas. 

The following areas are open to visitors:  

• Playground area and 80-foot super slide 

• Zoo area and animal exhibits 

• Guest Services and the Gift Shop is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Monday and Tuesday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday   

• River Otter feeding takes place daily at 1:30 p.m. 

• The Zoo office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday 

• Splash pad, open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

• Park areas, including the disc golf course 

• Lower-level picnic area and picnic shelters. Use of shelters must be reserved by permit two weeks in advance 

The River Path Walking Trail remains closed at this time.

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Students Make a Splash At Peterborough Children's Water Festival

The Peterborough Children’s Water Festival (PCWF) saw students in Grades 2-5 participating in more than 35 interactive learning centres designed for children to explore concepts of water conservation at the Riverview Park and Zoo.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The two-day event saw over 700 students on both days. There were 67 classes from over 29 schools that participated in the event.
 
“Pipe Patrol is a new activity centre offering a unique and engaging learning experience. Kids will dive into the fascinating world of urban infrastructure and discover how sewers are maintained,” said Patricia Skopelianos, Chair of the PCWF Organizing Committee. “They'll learn all about how the city is using cutting-edge CCTV cameras for inspection and powerful vacuum trucks for cleaning. It's a great way to foster an early understanding of essential community services and environmental responsibility.”
 
The PCWF is one of 25 water festivals taking place across the province this year. Since 2001, it has reached more than 31,000 elementary students and 6,500 teachers and parent helpers from across Peterborough City and County according to Skopelianos.
 
”We are very fortunate to once again have tremendous community support for this year’s Peterborough Children's Water Festival. Although local businesses and individuals have always made generous financial contributions, over 10 new supporters have come on board this year to help us make an impact,” she explained. “Our community helps make this Festival happen for so many classes across the region and offers this experiential opportunity to 140 high school volunteers.”

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Riverview Park and Zoo Reopened From March Ice Storm

The Riverview Park and Zoo and its playground have reopened following the March 28 to 30 ice storm.

Photo courtesy of the Riverview Park & zoo.

All other park areas, including the disc golf area, riverside trails, train station, shoreline, picnic shelters and gazebo areas, remain closed due to potentially unsafe conditions related to trees, hanging branches and debris from the severe ice storm.

The Zoo is urging visitors to follow closure signage and barricades while visiting the zoo and playground and stay out of areas that are closed.

“I am incredibly proud of our team here and so grateful for the help we received from Peterborough Utilities, Public Works crews, arborists and hydro workers,” said Cathy Mitchell, Zoo CEO manager and curator. “We have all worked extremely hard to get to this point after the worst storm damage in recent history.”

“We are very happy to be able to welcome you back. We’ve missed seeing everyone enjoying the playground and zoo,” said Dawn Pond, Zoo service program manager. “While our gates have been closed, we have received so many lovely messages of encouragement and offers of support from the community and we are so grateful for our incredible visitors.”

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Riverview Park and Zoo Remains Closed Due to Weather Damage

The Riverview Park and Zoo remains closed to the public due to damage caused by the weekend ice storm and prolonged power outages.

IN CAPTIVITY, RIVER OTTERS HAVE A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ABOUT 25 YEARS. PHOTO COURTESY OF Riverview Park and Zoo.

Its exhibits, parking lot, playground, disc golf area, and park spaces remain closed until further notice. However, the animals and staff are unharmed from the significant weather event.

“We are very happy to report that all our animals and staff are well and there were no injuries due to the storm,” said Cathy Mitchell, zoo manager and curator. “We have approximately 150 animals under our care, we continue to be proud of the Animal Care and Parks teams who, without interruption, continue to provide top-class care to the animals who live here.”

The weekend’s ice storm damaged several trees, with hanging limbs and downed power lines. The closure will remain in effect as staff work to make necessary repairs and ensure the area is safe.

“The tree damage and damage to property, is worse than we saw during the 2022 Derecho storm,” explained Mitchell. “However, I am very proud of our Riverview Park and Zoo team and grateful for the support of the City of Peterborough, Water Distribution team, for being here to help us tackle the mammoth task of clearing the site of fallen trees and hanging tree limbs.   

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Riverview Park & Zoo Otter Has Leg Amputated After Sustaining Severe Injury

Unfortunate news for Meadow the Otter at Riverview Park & Zoo and she had to have her leg amputated due to sustaining a leg injury after an altercation.

Photo courtesy of the Riverview Park & zoo.

Meadow suffered a severe leg injury after having an incident with other otters according to the Zoo. After medical consultation with vets and an orthopedic surgeon, Meadow had her leg amputated as a result of her injuries.

“Although this is an unfortunate situation, there is always a risk when introducing animals together, even when every precaution was taken by the Animal Care team,” said Cathy Mitchell, Riverview manager and curator.

Mitchell states that Meadow has been healing and recovering very well while showing resilience. The animal health team has cleared her to be back on exhibit and have outdoor access.

Meadow was moved on March 11th into her exhibit with ample outdoor space in the west outdoor primate exhibit. She was welcomed into the Zoo at the end of last year to join a group of three other mate otters.

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Riverview Park and Zoo's James Hamilton Railway Closed For Maintenance

The Riverview Park and Zoo James Hamilton Railway is closed for maintenance until further notice.

The railway welcomes over 66,000 riders each season. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The train has been in service for over 50 years and requires significant repairs according to the Zoo.

“Sometimes our 1860 replica locomotive train ride needs a little TLC. This includes safety check ups, regular inspections, and repairs. Safety is our first priority here at the Park and Zoo,” as stated in a press release.

There have been plans to replace the train and Riverview has been closing in on our fundraising target. The Zoo is continuing to maintain the current train until then.

The Zoo’s campaign has raised $250,000 toward its $350,000 fundraising goal. Thy are asking the public to help them reach 50 per cent of the capital cost to purchase a new locomotive.

Those wanting to help can sponsor or donate to the campaign.

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Riverview Park & Zoo's 13th Annual Fun Run Held On June 29 to Support Aviary Exhibits

Jog your way to helping the birds as the Riverview Park and Zoo’s (RPZ) 13th annual Fun Run takes place on June 29.

Last year’s event supported construction of the new outdoor meerkat exhibit. Photo courtesy of Riverview Park & Zoo.

This year’s proceeds will fund the aviary exhibits which include emu, peafowl, turkey and guineafowl species.

“The Fun Run began in 2011 by community members that wanted to help contribute to the Riverview Park & Zoo.” said Cathy Mitchell, RPZ manager and curator. “Jim and Jodi Mulder created and managed the volunteer-led RPZ Fun Run for seven years.”

The Fun Run's goal is to raise $5,000 to support the construction of a new outdoor aviary and the revitalization of indoor aviary spaces. All funds raised from the Fun Run will go toward this goal.

“The event has supported some significant and varied improvements to the Park and Zoo over the years,” said Mitchell. “The funds raised focus on accessibility, conservation efforts, and excellence in animal care standards. The Park and Zoo is proud to be such a key part of the Peterborough culture and is shaped and made better by the generosity of our community.”

Registration can be found online. The following is the race-day schedule:

Race Day Schedule:

• 8:10 a.m. - Yoga warmup in the Gazebo

• 8:25 a.m. - 1K runners at the starting line

• 8:30 a.m. - 1K race begins

• 9 a.m. - 1K racers pick up medals

• 9:10 a.m. - 5K runners at the starting line

• 9:15 a.m. - 5K race begins

• 10 a.m. - 5K racers pick up medals

In-person registration and race kit pick-up are available at the Rotary Education Centre at Riverview Park and Zoo on June 27 and June 28, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can also register in person on June 29 before the race begins between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The 1k race begins at 8:30 a.m. and the 5k race starts at 9:15 a.m. There are prizes for kids under 12 in the 1k and the top three males and females overall in the 5k.

RPZ encourages those to dress up as birds for the event as there are additional prizes for the best animal costume and top three fundraisers.

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Riverview Park and Zoo’s Nine-Year-Old Sichuan Takin, Yao Ming, Passes Away

The Riverview Park and Zoo’s (RPZ) Sichuan Takin, Yao Ming has passed away, announced on Friday.

Photocourtesy of the Riverview Park & Zoo.

The nine-year-old Sichuan Takin experiencing a decline in his overall health and body condition over the last few months and passed away overnight according to the Zoo.

His remains have been sent to the Guelph University Animal Health Laboratory in Kempsville for determination of the cause of death.

“We would like to especially thank our consulting veterinarian Dr. John Sallaway and his team of health experts and specialists who offered their knowledge and support in the diagnosis and treatment of the beloved takin. As well, we extend our gratitude and condolences to the caring zookeepers who had given extra attention to Yao Ming’s special needs and health over his lifetime at Riverview Park and Zoo. His loss will be significantly felt in the community, and he will be sorely missed by his RPZ team,” according to a statement made by the Zoo.

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