The Jacksonville Zoological Gardens has a new entrance and manatee exhibit under construction south of the current main entrance. The manatee exhibit features two (2) connected exhibit pools and four (4) care pools connected by water channels. The care pools, have a gantry crane for lifting the animals, along with lift platforms in the pools. Supporting the pools is a sophisticated life support system (LSS) with pumps, filters and a large deaeration tower. The pools and LSS are all cast-in-place concrete. Also supporting the pools is a mechanical building, chiller pad and fish quarantine building. The manatee gateway consists of a two-story retail building and kitchen building on either side of a covered square with a stage overlooking the manatee exhibit. The LSS and building structures are nearly complete with pool construction in progress. While on site we will tour the new entrance and manatee exhibit construction site and also tour the exiting Manatee Care Facility and an existing exhibit to see what the final shotcrete installation will look like. This is an active construction site and PPE is required (hard hat, safety glasses and boots). Please bring your own PPE.  

The tour will be lead by J. Cullen Richart, the Construction Projects Manager for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens and Mark Keister and Meghan Tyler with Keister Webb Structural Engineers, the EOR.

Tickets

$65.00 Member Registration

$75.00 Non-Member Registration

$20.00 Student Ticket