Saving the Bronx Zoo and the Brooklyn Aquarium
Posted on Jun 01, 2009 under Business, Entertainment, Travel | No CommentIn a testimony before the NYC Council last week, John Calvelli stated the importance of the New York Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo, to the economy of the city of Manhattan, the businesses and the NY hotels that benefit from the tourism generated by these two parks provide. Calvelli is the Executive VP for the Wildlife Conservation Society. He was attempting to secure future funding of these incredible institutions. The Committee on Cultural Affairs had recently announced plans to cut a significant amount of the funding now being offered to the the cultural organizations and institutions of New York. He stressed that it is exactly these institutions that make this be best city of the world. New Yorkers are employed by these institutions and the museums and the zoos of the city offer inspiration and education to the children and the people of the Big Apple.
Big and fantastic dreams are what this city has been built on and what it offers to not only those living on the island, but to those traveling internationally throughout the years. He stated that the cultural attractions and institutions are part of the genetic make-up of the city, the DNA. He stated that facts, that both the Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo are located in the neighborhoods of the city that are for the most part under-served and under privileged. These two attractions bring in more than four million visitors a year, pumping dollars into the neighborhoods economies. Both also offer days of free admission and those who may not be able to afford it, can experience both parks. Between the two, they employ many of the young people of the Bronx, as well as offering employment opportunities to the elderly, seasonal workers, and those on disability. More people travel to the Aquarium in Brooklyn, than travel to any other institution on the island. In financial times such as these, it is the culture and the arts that bring people together, and Calvelli hopes that his testimony will have an impact on the committee’s final decision.
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