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On February 2, 2001, the Denver Zoo hosted a Ground Burrowing ceremony celebrating the initial dig into the construction site for a new parking garage.
On January 31, 2002 the zoo celebrated the ribbon cutting for the new garage, which is now open and available to zoo visitors free of charge.
Mayor Wellington Webb, City Councilwomen Elbra Wedgeworth and Happy Haynes, and Manager of Parks and Recreation James Mejia, took part in the ribbon cutting, along with Jack North, Chair of the Denver Zoological Foundation Board of Trustees and Clayton Freiheit, President and CEO of the Denver Zoological Foundation. |
Where is it?
The garage is located in the zoo's main parking area, immediately west of the zoo's front entry off of 23rd Avenue. At first glance, visitors may not realize that they have 764 parking spaces available upon entering the top level of the garage.
Designed so as not to impede views of the mountains and Denver skyline, three of the four levels are sub-surface. Covered parking is certain to be a great benefit to visitors, whether on sunny or snowy days. |
Family Friendly
Combining graphics, a sound system that challenges visitors to name the animal, and well-lit parking levels, the garage is secure and easy to navigate. Many features have been incorporated to insure easy zoo access for all visitors. Each level has been given a specific animal designation: level one, the top level of the garage, is Boa; level two is Macaw, three is Tiger and four is Zebra. Graphics on each floor correspond to the animal name, making remembering which floor a car is parked on that much easier.
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Visitors who park on the top level, Boa, will be able to walk from their cars to the front entry plaza. For those who park on the Macaw and Tiger, levels two and three, access to the front entry can be gained either by elevator, stairs or a ramped pedestrian walkway. Zebra, level 4, provides elevator and stairway access. The pedestrian walkway has been designed to allow visitors with strollers or wheelchairs easy access to the zoo entrance. The walkway is an open-air elevated ramp that snakes up a gentle slope from Tiger, level 3, to the front entry plaza. The central stair and elevator core, enclosed in glass block and cedar siding, provides a beautiful organizing element to the garage, certain to be used effectively as a central meeting landmark for groups. |
A Clean Well Lighted Garage
Each level of the garage is well lit, and security cameras are installed throughout. From Tiger level three to Boa level one, the south side of the garage is open to daylight. Plant-training cables have been installed on the south side, which will allow vines to create a living wall.
Whimsical monkey sculptures are at play on the cables, while beautiful banners hang from light poles on the north and south side of the structure. Come Visit Soon! The zoo is open every day, and the garage is available for parking, so come see us! Every season of the year offers fun, educational opportunities to learn about the animals and their habitats. |
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