GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With some major projects underway in Grand Rapids, the John Ball Zoo wants to get feedback on development plans of its own.
The zoo is hosting several community meetings next week on its updated master plans, which includes a number of new exhibits and experiences for guests.
Among the ideas is an expansion of the African habitat area with spaces to feed some of the animals, including giraffes from a raised platform; a new domed exhibit to showcase plants and animals from South American forests; and the return of sea lions to the zoo.
The nonprofit also wants to add more bathrooms, nursing rooms, restaurants, and behind-the-scene experiences.
To get feedback on the master plan, John Ball Zoo is hosting four meetings in Mid-November where staff will present the plan, answer questions, and provide renderings of what the spaces could look like.
The meetings will be:
- Tuesday, November 19 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation in the Madison Ballroom, 1530 Madison Ave SE, Grand Rapids
- Wednesday, November 20 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the North Kent County Campus, 4191 17 Mile Rd NE, Cedar Springs
- Wednesday, November 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at John Ball Zoo's Savannah Ballroom, 1300 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids
- Thursday, November 21 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gaines Township Office, 8555 Kalamazoo Ave SE, Caledonia
John Ball Zoo, which became an independent nonprofit in 2014, has been active in the last several years with redeveloping spaces and expanding its parking lots. It set a yearly attendance record in 2024, with more than 800,000 guests visiting during its 133rd year of operation.
The zoo receives funding from the City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, and the State of Michigan. A 2016 county millage that supports the zoo and Grand Rapids Public Museum is set to expire at the end of 2025.
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