the diminishing zoo

Yesterday we went to the San Francisco Zoo.

Our oldest grandson lives a few hours away and he and his wife came down for the day. We met at our daughters house and took her mini van, so we could all travel together. (Daughter and her husband are both our of town on business, leaving us with the grandkids – such sweet punishment).

I first went to this zoo when I was 12 a heap of years ago. It is the only big zoo I have visited infrequently through the years. My memory is that the SF Zoo was one of the better municipal zoos in the country.

But budget cuts have hit hard. Lots of empty displays. Fewer animals. Large buildings designed to show off the animals were closed, some with plywood in ways to suggest they were not opening any time soon. There was more over grown vegetation here and there. The whole place looked a bit neglected.

There was 6 of us: 2 seniors, one kid and three adults. Cost about as much to get in as to buy a tank of gas for my pickup. Maybe not too much by city standards, but way over this small town kid budget – very often at least.

So the more it is neglected, the more the fees are raised and the fewer people come to visit and the less pressure on the “deciders” and the cycle continues.

For so many years our budgets were big and full and expansive. Now they are lean and tight and tightening. Where will it end?

I fear we have not hit the bottom yet.

But, in spite of it all, we had a good day together. Grandpa, Grandma, grandsons #1, 4 and 6 along with granddaughter in law one!

It was good