City of Toronto issues Request for Expressions of Interest for Toronto Zoo options

TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - The City of Toronto today issued a request for expressions of interest (REOI) to solicit ideas and information for innovative, creative, and sustainable options for the Toronto Zoo as an initial step in its sale, lease, operation or other arrangements.

Interested respondents are invited to purchase the complete REOI from the City's website at https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/pmmd/calls.nsf/professional?OpenView. Responses are required by noon (Eastern Standard Time), on Monday, November 26.

The REOI asks respondents to propose a business model that is financially sustainable, an innovative concept plan, an appropriate governance structure, and to consider possible synergies in relation to the proposed Rouge National Urban Park adjacent to the Zoo.

The Toronto Zoo is Canada's largest zoo with over 5,000 animals kept, a land area of about 710 acres and over 1.2 million visitors annually. The Zoo is located at the north-eastern edge of the City of Toronto in the Rouge Valley adjacent to Rouge Park, an urban park with an area of 47 square kilometres encompassing a unique mosaic of river valley, creeks, forests, meadow and rural landscapes. The Toronto Zoo is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in what would be their natural environments, with viewing at many levels. It also has other areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre and Splash Island. See http://www.torontozoo.com/ for more information.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The City of Toronto has an annual operating budget of over $10 billion. The overall greater Toronto region has a growing population exceeding 5.8 million residents, and offers a large, diverse, vibrant economy and a broad multi-cultural population. Toronto is the fifth largest urban area in North America, including Mexico City and is ranked in several international studies as one of the best cities in the world to live.

For more information about the REOI see http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/it/newsrel.nsf/7017df2f20edbe2885256619004e428e/5b0a616d874fe68b85257a8a0074f0c2?OpenDocument

Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

SOURCE: City of Toronto

Media contact: Margaret Dougherty, Senior Communications Advisor, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5313, [email protected]