New Assiniboine Park Zoo Rates Effetive July 3

Image Winnipeg Zoo – Uploaded by wasme

New rates to enter the Assiniboine Park Zoo will come into effect on Thursday, July 3, 2014, the same date the new Journey to Churchill Exhibit opens to the public.

General Adult admission has gone up from $10.24 to $18.50. However, to make the Zoo an accessible destination for all Manitobans, they’ve introduced new group discounts and bulk rates. On top of that, they’ve introduced Ten-Dollar Tuesdays where anyone can come to the Zoo for only $10. The free admission age has been moved from under two to under three.

Visitors will now be able to purchase their tickets at a new online sales window at assiniboineparkzoo.ca. The new online ticking system will go live on Monday, June 23.

There are two primary reasons that require the increase in admission rates:

1. The Assiniboine Park Zoo has changed dramatically through the overall Zoo redevelopment strategy and, with the opening of Journey to Churchill, will be home to one of the most unique and exciting Zoo experiences in North America. In addition to Journey to Churchill, the Zoo has recently opened the new indoor Polar Playground, as well as the seasonal Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden and Australian Walkabout exhibits. With all of these enhancements to what is now an extensive Zoo experience (est. three-four hours) the value of that experience warrants an adjustment to rates in line with other North American Zoos as well as other local entertainment options.
2. The funding model for Assiniboine Park and Zoo is changing as it becomes increasingly self-sustaining and less dependent upon tax dollars. In 2015 our funding model basically flips from being originally funded 75/25 with the majority coming from tax dollars to 35/65 with the majority coming from earned revenue. Zoo admissions is the primary revenue source for APC and these new rates make the new funding model possible, with all revenue going right back into maintaining and growing the Park and Zoo.