By Associated Press - Wednesday, March 10, 2021

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - City officials in Tucson, Arizona, have agreed to halt a long-planned multimillion-dollar expansion of the Reid Park Zoo for 45 days after community members fought to protect a duck pond that would have been overrun.

The City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday after Mayor Regina Romero proposed the pause last week, calling for a compromise between the zoo and residents.

“More than 22,000 people that have requested that we take a pause, that we look at what we’re doing. I value the input of the community and I know that there’s history,” Romero said.

Tucson voters approved funding for the project in 2017 and construction is poised to start this spring, but residents have raised concerns about the loss of a cherished area in the park and whether project supporters were transparent before voters approved a sales tax increase.

“The ballot language approved by voters in 2017 was ‘to fund capital improvements, operations, and maintenance,’ and did not mention expansion,” Romero said.

The zoo was in the process of expanding for a new “Pathway to Asia” exhibit it said will help Malayan tiger conservation efforts while creating room for a reptile house and aviary.

“We are disappointed the projects are being delayed, but look forward to an open and productive dialogue with the stakeholders and the City of Tucson, working together to reach an acceptable resolution,” Reid Park zoo said in a statement.

Councilman Steve Kozachik was the lone opposing vote to pause the project, arguing that stopping the contracts the city has with several contractors and the Reid Park Zoological Society would damage the city’s credibility. The zoo has already spent $2 million to fund the expansion.

The project suspension does not stop costs associated with the project and does not mean the project will stop altogether.

Theew are “contracts between the city of Tucson and the designer and the city of Tucson and the construction manager at risk. And then of course there’s the management agreement,” City Attorney Mike Rankin said.

Rankin explained the construction contract will cost the city an estimated $65,000 every month the expansion is on hold. He said the design contract won’t be impacted unless there is a redesign.

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