Riverview Park and Zoo Miniature Train Ride Opening Delayed Due to Track Repairs
/The seasonal opening of the miniature train ride at the Riverview Park and Zoo has been delayed due to required repairs to the train tracks.
File Photo.
Peterborough Blogs
Riverview Park And Zoo Releases Second Jigsaw Puzzle Fundraiser For New Locomotive Next Season
/The Riverview Park and Zoo have released a puzzle of their miniature train ride puzzle for a second consecutive year, fundraising a replacement locomotive and its passenger coaches for next year announced Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of the Riverview Park & Zoo.
The 308-piece, 11 x 17-inch puzzle of the current 1860 locomotive replica is a limited-edition gift for $20. They are available at the Riverview gift shop beginning on Thanksgiving weekend (the gift shop closes for the season after Oct. 10) or at certain local retailers while quantities last.
“We felt that including the F86 Sabre Jet Plane, flown in the Korean War, would introduce a whole new point of interest for our community,” says Shauna Moodie, Zoo advisory chair.
The zoo’s miniature train ride was established in 1974 and has provided regular income that sustains the operations and helps to make necessary capital improvements to exhibits and the park. The ride is just over two kilometres long and is $2 to ride or free for children under two.
There are six bench dedications left on the new train available for sponsorship, used to recognize anyone or your company’s contribution to the Park and Zoo or dedicate it in honour of a special project or a loved one. Dedications are $2,500 each.
Riverview Park and Zoo’s goal is to raise $300,000 with $225,000 already raised.
Since 1933, Riverview Park and Zoo is Canada’s only free-admission accredited zoo with nearly a quarter of a million annual visitors.
They received the fighter jet monument in 1971 and display it to honour the people from Peterborough who fought for Canada.
Donate to the train campaign: https://forms.riverviewparkandzoo.ca/Donations.
Kinsmen Club Donates $25,000 Towards New Zoo Train; New Bell Purchased From Community Funding
/The Riverview Park & Zoo is one step closer to getting a new train for next year as the Kinsmen Club Of Peterborough donated $25,000 on Wednesday morning.
The Kinsmen Club has been a partner in the Park and Zoo since the organization’s beginning. Photo By Luke Best.
“When we heard about their campaign to replace the train ride, we knew it was a great fit for our club to get on board,” said Barry Craft, Kinsmen Club president. “Our membership support was unanimous for this project as we feel that Riverview Park and Zoo brings tremendous value to our community.”
“The community support groups have come out in a big way,” Jim Moloney, zoo manager and curator. “We've already started to see a good groundswell of support from individual community members but we're really depending upon that to take us the rest of the way.”
The train will cost $350,000 and 60 per cent of funding has already been achieved through community donations and Kiwanis snack bar profits.
The original bell was stolen overnight and reported to the public on April 30. Photo by Luke Best.
The zoo acquired a new bell after a community member found one online from a store in North Bay last month. The zoo purchased the bell and took roughly two weeks for its arrival.
It will be on the current train after a mount has been built for it. The bell will hopefully be outfitted for the new train next year according to Maloney.
The original bell was reported stolen overnight and was publically announced that it was missing on the morning of April 30.
Roughly $5,100 was raised for the bell’s replacement but cost $2,600 according to Cathy Mitchell, zoo program supervisor. The surplus will go towards the funding of the new train.
The zoo is offering dedication plates set in each seat compartment of the new train ride to help fund the new train. The seat dedications are $2,500 each that includes a personalized plaque of your name or in honour of someone else.
To be a sponsor or dedicate a seat bench on the train, please contact Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor 705-748-9301 x 2304 or cmitchell@riverviewparkandzoo.ca.
Donations to the ‘All Aboard the Riverview Railway Train Campaign’ can be made online.
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Riverview Park and Zoo's Miniature Train Goes Off the Rails From Vandalism; Trademark Bell Stolen
/Riverview Park and Zoo’s miniature train was vandalized and had its historic bell stolen announced on Saturday.
Last year, $19,940 was raised from a 308-piece, 11 x 17-inch puzzle of the current 1860 locomotive replica fundraising campaign towards a new train. Photo courtesy of Rivervew Park & Zoo.
