Miller Park Zoo receives State Grant

Posted on March 9, 2022
The grant monies will go toward infrastructure and basement renovations on the 108-year-old Katthoefer Animal Building. (Photo Courtesy of Miller Park Zoo Facebook Page)

By Jake Fogal

BLOOMINGTON-Miller Park Zoo has been awarded a $750,000 Illinois Department of Natural Resources Public Museum Capital Grant by the State of Illinois.

The grant monies will go toward infrastructure and basement renovations on the 108-year-old Katthoefer Animal Building, the largest of all the projects on the Zoo campus. Zoo Superintendent Jay Tetzloff noted that the building is overdue for renovations.

“Work in the basement includes electrical, concrete and piping. It also will include building and renovating animal areas that will improve areas for the animals, mostly birds, that come inside for the winter,” Tetzloff said.

Specific makeovers that the public may notice is a new pool in the Tropical Rainforest area and two new small animal exhibits in the Katthoefer Animal Building for the Reticulated Python and a large lizard species.

“I think the community will be pleased to know that we are caring for this historic and much-loved building for the future,” Tetzloff adds.

The award does not require the City of Bloomington to match the grant funds.

Jake Fogal can be reached at [email protected].

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