The Bloomington City Council is being asked on Monday night to approve a $1.10 million project for Miller Park Zoo. The project will add a new South American Exhibit. The exhibit will include Galapagos Tortoises, Giant Anteaters, Chilean Pudu and Bush Dogs. The contractor will be PJ Hoerr, the lowest responsible bidder at 1.06 million.
Funding for the project is provided by the state and private donations.
The council is being asked to approve an Ordinance Amending the Budget Ordinance for the Fiscal Year Ending April 30, 2023 in the amount of $1.10 million.
It is also being asked to approve an Ordinance Authorizing a Construction Contract Between the City of Bloomington and PJ Hoerr, Inc., for the Miller Park Zoo South American Exhibit Project in the Amount of $1.06 million as requested by the Parks and Recreation Department.” The $1.06 million is the major expense of the $1.10 million project.
The Miller Park Zoo’s Master Plan prioritized the South America project. This project is the third animal project coming from the plan.
The project includes three new exhibits (Giant Anteaters, Chilean Pudu and Bush Dogs). These new exhibits will replace older exhibits (Red Panda, Pallas’s Cat, Eurasian Eagle-Owl and Rainforest Theater) that have out-lived their usefulness.
According to the Miller Park Zoo Master Plan a Galapagos Tortoise can live 150 years and weigh over 500 pounds. Tortoises do not have any teeth. They tear their food and swallow very quickly.
The Miller Park Zoological society says Giant Anteaters are the largest of four anteater species. They have no teeth, but a two-foot long tongue and an incredible sense of smell.
The society describes Chilean Pudu as the smallest species of deer in the world. An adult can reach only 14 inches in height.
Bush Dogs are rare, even in their natural habitats according to the society. They were once thought to be extinct due to their elusive nature.
Funding for the project will be provided by $750,000 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources IDNR), $250,000 from the Miller Park Zoological Society and $100,000 from the Ewing Zoo Foundation.
PJ Hoerr was the lowest responsible bidder for the construction of this project at $1.06 million. Zobrist Construction bid $1.16 million. Hoerr’s bid was $100,000 less. Both Hoerr and Zobrist are local firms.
P.J. Hoerr provides services in general contracting, construction management and design-build.
The company was founded in 1914 by Philipp J. Hoerr as a concrete construction company. In 1957 P.J. Hoerr was incorporated and transitioned into general commercial construction. P.J. Hoerr has become a diverse, multi-office commercial builder performing approximately $130 million of work annually.
Recently Hoerr has done work locally for; Chestnut Health Systems, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Vale Church, Westminster Village Martin Health Center, and Westminster Village Nursing Home.
Governor JB Pritzker announced the $750,000 in state funding on November 10, 2020. The investment is handled by DNR as part of the Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program. The funding is from Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois multi-year state capital program.
According to their website, “The mission of the Miller Park Zoological Society is to function as a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Miller Park Zoo and its rich history through fundraising, education and community outreach.”
The Miller Park Zoological Society is doing fundraising for the South America expansion. You can donate on their website at https://mpzs.org/south-america.
The mission of the Ewing Zoo Foundation is to purchase and transport animals for Miller Park Zoo.