Over the past few months, the Vancouver Aquarium has been moving forward with its proposed revitalization and expansion project, which aims to upgrade the current facilities and increase exhibit space.
Among the project's major developments would be larger outdoor pools for the animals, the addition of new pools and improved public spaces (walkways and plazas) in the old zoo area, a new restaurant, and a revamped entranceway facade for the main aquarium building.
Of course the expansion is not without controversy, as there's been some concern about the aquarium's proposal to remove and replace 32 trees in Stanley Park (23 of which have trunk diameters of 12 inches or less).
Opponents argue that this would set a dangerous precedent for further commercial development, however that assessment seems a little over-the-top - it's not as though developers will suddenly get to build hotels or condos inside the Park.
As for the 'no whales in captivity' argument, it's worthwhile to note that the Vancouver aquarium no longer keeps orcas, while the expansion would provide additional space for those animals that currently live there. Furthermore, important conservation, education and scientific work is also done at the aquarium, which in turn benefits animals in the wild.
In what appears to have been a way to sidestep calls for a referendum on the expansion, a public consultation just wrapped up at the end of October, the results of which will be reported to the Vancouver Parks Board by this December.
For more information, visit the official Aquarium public consultation website here. Detailed plans for the expansion project can be found here (link to pdf). As for the project's critics, you can find one of the key opposition sites here.
Update: According to this article from the Vancouver Sun, a survey conducted on behalf of the Vancouver Aquarium found that 85% of Vancouver residents support an aquarium expansion in Stanley Park.
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