The historic flooding of the Bow and Elbow Rivers of 2013 devastated the buildings and infrastructure on St. George’s Island but, thanks in part to the generosity of Calgarians, the Calgary Zoo has avoided financial disaster.
The Calgary Zoo is reporting a positive net income in 2013 of just over $1 million according to the organization’s annual financial report.
“Being closed in our busy season was a serious financial challenge,” said Dr. Clement Lanthier, Calgary Zoo President & CEO. “That’s why I’m grateful to report that despite losing more than $10 million in revenue due to the flood, we managed to record net income of just over $1 million.”
Among the contributing factors to the return of the Calgary Zoo’s financial books to the black:
- $3.2 million in donations from more than 6,000 contibutors
- $5 million in business interruption insurance
- 53,265 zoo memberships
- $1.56 million in event sales (corporate events, weddings, parties)
- $4 million saved through a reduction in staff, administrative activities and cancelled programs
“In the aftermath of the disaster, we took further steps to save the zoo financially by reducing and adjusting our operations,” said Dr. Lanthier. “I’m proud that we were able to fully reopen the zoo on November 28. The hard work and dedication of our staff is difficult to describe. To them we owe a debt of gratitude.”
Following the flood, the Calgary Zoo terminated 302 employee positions. As of December 31,2014, 88 of the employees have been re-hired by the zoo.
The physical landscape of the zoo offers little evidence of the June 2013 flooding. 25 buildings have been repaired and 60 truckloads of mud and debris have been removed from the Canadian Wilds section of the zoo.
2013's positive net income comes in a year when attendance fell well short of the organization’s targets. The Calgary Zoo hosted 787,862 visitors last year, less than two-thirds of their goal of 1.3 million visits.
For more information visit the Calgary Zoo’s 2013 Year in Review
