By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The train is running, the animals are out and about, and the Hutchinson Zoo is ready for what it hopes will be a year that is free of the pandemic and other factors.
The zoo has been closed most of the past two years because of the pandemic and an entire summer of flooding.
“We’re definitely excited to have a normal year back at the zoo,” Parks Director Justin Combs said. “Last year we had the pandemic and the year before we had the flood that kept the zoo closed for a majority of the summer.”
Combs says it's a chance for visitors to finally see the river otter exhibit and other things.
“We brought the river otter exhibit on this fall. They’re extremely entertaining,” Combs said. “Anybody that’s up close to the exhibit, the otters want to be right there with you . . . walking back and forth.”
Combs also talked about a state grant the zoo hopes to use to make further improvements.
“We’re looking at a new playground and a new splash river and splash pad and then potentially a gathering space with a fire pit,” Combs said. “We did receive a grant for that a year ago and we’ve been working through the design of that.”
Combs says, if all goes as planned, they will break ground on that project later this summer.
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