02/03/2023
For those who are interested, we are sad to report that our partnership and the agreement we have with the Lake Superior Zoo was unilaterally dissolved by the Zoo. What started with the Pandemic closures was followed by staffing changes, including changes in zoo leadership, and ultimately a desire by the Zoo to disregard the agreement we have with them. We had made many attempts to reestablish our relationship with the Zoo once they began to allow the public to return, and that outreach was ignored, repeatedly. Finally, we heard from the Zoo in late July of 2022, expressing a desire to take down the reef aquarium. There were some discussions through August, and then the zoo once again went silent.
It is our understanding that the Zoo has placed the fish and corals with the Great Lakes Aquarium, and that some were given to World of Fish. The display and supportive equipment and materials, which were supposed to be returned to the club in the event it was no longer to be used at the Zoo, is instead being repurposed into an exhibit to showcase Hellbenders. Our original agreement is being disregarded by the current Zoo leadership in this regard; we clearly do not see eye to eye at this time. Then again, objectively, we would not have a clear direction to move forward with the system as a whole. In due time, it could be that some equipment that is irrelevant to the Zoo's future plans could still be returned to the club, but we are not optimistic.
At this point, it is what it is. The Zoo only superficially solicited input from the club in 2022, but by and large, the Zoo had already made up its mind and was going to do whatever it wanted. The club and its members were once welcomed and valued partners nad volunteers at the Zoo, but it appears that relationship is just one of many casualties of the COVID pandemic. To have some perspective, not a single person involved with the establishment of the project is on staff at the Zoo. The Zoo is 4 CEOs removed from the CEO who originally signed the agreement with the club.
So, after two years of wondering, it is fair to say that we will no longer have any involvement with the Lake Superior Zoo, and that the Reef Aquarium that so many gave so much to support is no more. We view this as a very sad end to the project, which sadly never could get to the level of what everyone initially set out to achieve. We hope everyone who participated and supported the project enjoyed that time and found value in it.
Going forward, the Lake Superior Marine Aquarium Club remains without a routine meeting location and now has no primary purpose. A couple of us have discussed a return to in-person, at-home gatherings. If that would be of interest to you here in the Twin Ports area, please speak up!
I want to thank everyone who has participated with our club going all the way back to the establishment and to thank everyone who gave so much to try to make a public reef aquarium display a success here in Duluth. At this time, the club is back to square one. Where we go from here? That depends on all of you!
