I am still in disbelief! It just can’t be true! From the time I was not past the age of first walking, our FAMILY (including Grandparents, Aunts/Uncles, Cousins, In-Laws, and probably even some outlaws who sneaked along) has been going to Fair Park to visit the DALLAS AQUARIUM, along with other museums and exhibits. When we gather for Family Reunions in Oklahoma, we still talk about all we have seen there through the years.
And various members of the “Themers” have gone to see the Aquarium with friends, clubs, school classes, etc. Our Cub Scout Den, led by Den Mothers, Helen Stark and Marian Themer, went every year, I believe!
But now, the HEADLINE of the METRO section of the Dallas newspaper, plus some blurbs on the INTERNET and on news programs, plus word-of-mouth, have hit us with the BAD NEWS: Fair Park— TEXAS’S OLDEST AQUARIUM IS DRAINED—Financial Struggles force operators to seek homes for nearly 4,000 animals to close it for good.
In 1936, Fair Park’s Dallas Aquarium opened, and, as far as I know, it has always been considered the “first” one in Texas, at least of any significant size!
And now, according to a DMN “Metro” article, “….. the difficult decision (to close) is based on the ongoing costs to operate the facility in the short term and the long term.”
Right now, the animals have to be re-located, and until that is done, an exact “close date” seems to be impossible.
According to the same article, the “Dallas Zoo in 2009 took over operations of the aquarium on the condition that the City underwrite its losses.” For more than ten years the financial strain has been apparent, as revenues always lagged behind incoming money, and the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting “shutdowns” brought worsening financial problems and closing of the facilities back in March. The cancellation of the FAIR made the money issues and attendances even worse!
The Dallas Observer had this to say: Both a petition on change.org and a GoFundMe campaign have been set up to try to help save the historic aquarium. The campaign has only raised around $700 since it was started in August, but the petition is a mere two or so hundred people away from its goal of 1500 signatures.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aquarium was recording varying amounts, between $150,000 to $300,000, in losses each year. Closing in March just about doubled the losses, and the amount stands at about $600,000 so far this year!
As I stated at the opening of this article, I am still full of disbelief and dismay, but it appears the end is very near—and will take place once the animals are safely placed elsewhere!
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