Are we witnessing the “Bowers-ization” of the Santa Ana Zoo?

The Santa Ana Zoo, like the Bowers Museum, has only one Latino director

The Bowers Museum used to be dedicated to local history – and it was an affordable place to visit.  Today it is a “world class” museum and most people in Santa Ana cannot afford to visit very often, except for the rare “free” days.

The Santa Ana Zoo is a great place to take little kids.  It has a lot of monkeys, is affordable and includes a train the kids love to ride.  It is also small enough to walk through quickly – which is important as little ones get tired rather fast.

But now he zoo is working on a new exhibit that features “the South American grasslands known as the Pampas,” according to the O.C. Register. This is a big dollar addition and the zoo is still trying to raise more money. What will happen once this new addition opens up?  Will the Santa Ana Zoo become the next Bowers?  Will it become so expensive that the locals will be shut out?

I have often complained about the fact that there are very few Latinos involved in the governance of the Bowers Museum.  Currently Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido appears to be the ONLY Latino on the Bowers Board of Governors, which includes 36 members.

But did you know that the Santa Ana Zoo has only one Latino on their Board of Directors, which includes 17 directors (see the picture above)?  And I wonder how many of these directors live in Santa Ana?  Most of the Bowers governors don’t live anywhere near Santa Ana.

Currently it costs $6 for an adult ticket to the Santa Ana Zoo.  I suspect this will creep up to ten dollars when the new Pampas exhibit opens up.  That is what happened at the Bowers…what a shame.  The irony is that millions of Santa Ana taxpayers tax dollars go to the Bowers and the Zoo – and we have lost control of both enterprises.

About Admin

"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.