20 Oct ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES PLANS TO CONSTRUCT MODERN BARRY H. OSTROWSKY ANIMAL WELLNESS CENTER IN ESSEX COUNTY TURTLE BACK ZOO New Facility to Enhance Animal Care and Enable Zoo Guests to View Treatment, Lab and Nursery Rooms
Published on October 20, 2023
West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced plans to construct a new Barry H. Ostrowsky Animal Wellness Center at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo on Friday, October 20th. The 10,000-square-foot building will provide updated and expanded accommodations for the care of Turtle Back Zoo’s animal family and enable the zoo to meet changing animal care requirements from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the USDA. It also will be designed to enable guests to view treatment, lab and nursery rooms so they get a better understanding of the high level of care animals at Turtle Back receive.
“As new exhibits have been added and our animal collection has become more diverse, a larger hospital has become a necessity. The new facility will provide us with additional space and modern accommodations to provide the highest level of care to our animal family and to offer our visitors with a unique look at our commitment to treating our animals,” DiVincenzo said.
“I was overwhelmed when the original hospital was named after me and I am just as overwhelmed that this new building will be too. This is an example of Joe’s ongoing commitment to Essex County,” said Barry Ostrowsky, retired President and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health.
“Joe D. has made Turtle Back Zoo such an incredible place to visit; it is a credit to his hard work. And it’s a credit to Barry and such a great honor to have this new facility named after him,” said RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan said.
“The new state-of-the-art hospital is a great way to expose children to animals and possibly enlighten them to potential career pathways they may not otherwise be aware of,” Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said.
“I have known Barry for such a long time. This is a tremendous honor and so well deserved,” Commissioner Patricia Sebold said.
“The new hospital is an example of how Joe DiVincenzo recognizes the future needs of the zoo. Of all the capital improvements we have undertaken, this will be the most influential project we have done,” said Turtle Back Zoo Director Jillian Fazio.
“I am excited for this facility. It’s a great opportunity to teach our visitors about the importance of animal wellness and health care and enable them to see that in real time. I appreciate the continued support the County Executive has provided to the zoo. Having the building named after a fellow health care professional is a great way to recognize Mr. Ostrowsky for all he has done,” said Dr. Kailey Anderson, the veterinarian at Turtle Back Zoo.
“The new welfare facility will help us enhance the care of the animals at Turtle Back Zoo. Barry Ostrowsky always has been a great supporter of Turtle Back and I can think if no better person to name the facility after,” said Adam Kerins, Executive Director of the Zoological Society of New Jersey.
The new Essex County Barry H. Ostrowsky Animal Wellness Center will have separate wings for the treatment of hospitalized and quarantined animals to allow for increased biosecurity within the animal population at Turtle Back.
The center will provide guests with learning experiences that provide them with the opportunity to view the treatment, lab and nursery spaces. Cameras in the treatment and surgical suite will allow guests to witness animal procedures and surgeries up close from the viewing platforms as well as in an adjoining atrium and conference room. The atrium will be open to guests year-round and include an animal display area that will highlight the five domains model of animal welfare to serve as an educational space for guests to learn about the holistic way TBZ staff cares for animals. A conference room adjacent to the atrium will create both educational and VIP special event space.
The building is located along the perimeter of the Zoo grounds and is near Northfield Avenue. This will enable staff to utilize the established service road to access the building, which will minimize the impact for guests when animals enter the zoo or are brought to the center. The wellness building will replace the Wolf Woods Exhibit, which is being closed because two of the wolves at TBZ passed away after experiencing age-related health issues and the one remaining wolf is being provided with hospice care.
The original hospital was opened in 2005. It will be maintained as an animal care center and quarantine space when new animals arrive at the zoo.
A professional services contract for $445,000 was awarded to Comito Associates from Newark to design the facility. A publicly bid contract for $17,045,000 was awarded to Dobco Inc. from Wayne to perform the construction. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project so delays are avoided. Funding is being provided with a $7.5 million grant from the NJ Department of Community Affairs, $5 million from the American Rescue Plan and $4.1 million from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. Of the money from the Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, $500,000 is being provided in 2023 and then the remaining $3.6 million will be provided over the next three years. The center is anticipated to be completed by the winter of 2024.
Turtle Back Zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $19 for adults, $16 for senior citizens over 62 and children ages 2 to 12, and free for children under 2. To promote social distancing, tickets must be purchased in advance at https://turtlebackzoo.com/admission-hours/. For more information, visit www.essexcountynj.org/turtlebackzoo or call 973-731-5800.
Essex County Turtle Back Zoo has roared back to life from the verge of closure by a previous administration. Attendance reached an all-time high of 907,522 in 2017 and the zoo has operated as a self-sustaining facility with revenue collected exceeding operating expenses. In addition, Turtle Back is accredited by American Humane, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Zoological Association of American, a clear indication that an institution is committed to the highest standards in animal care, ethics, conservation and education. It also has been named the Best Zoo in New Jersey by NJ Monthly magazine four times and received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor.com three times.
Revitalizing Essex County Turtle Back Zoo
Since taking office in 2003, DiVincenzo has spearheaded over $100 million in upgrades to Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, which have included creating a new Island Giants Exhibit featuring alligators and Komodo dragons, Amazing Asia exhibit featuring Red Pandas and Clouded Leopards, updating the Turtle Back Junction Train Station to enhance public access; developing the African Adventure with four Masai giraffes, lions and hyenas, and South African Penguins; the Drill Family Flamingo Exhibit; Leopard Exhibit; a new Educational Building; the Carousel with 33 figures of endangered animals; the Sea Lion Sound Exhibit with sea lions, sharks and sting rays; the Big Cat Country Exhibit with jaguars and cougars; Tam-ring Gibbons Reserve with white cheeked gibbons apes, Reeves muntjac and white naped cranes; Australian Exhibit that features kangaroos, wallabies, emus and over 500 birds in the Aviary; Reptile and Education Center, open air dining pavilion and playground, Penguin Exhibit, Otter Exhibit, Wolf Exhibit, North American Animal Exhibit, Black Bear Exhibit, Animal Hospital, Essex Farm Petting Zoo and South American Animal Exhibit; renovating the Food Pavilion for year-round use and making upgrades to the entrance as well as fencing and infrastructure to meet AZA requirements. Funding has been provided through Green Acres grants, existing capital improvement bonds, or donations from the Zoological Society, Essex County Parks Foundation, corporations or private foundations. Corporations that have provided support include Investors Bank, Prudential Financial, Inc., PNC Bank, PSE&G, Verizon, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Coca Cola, Capital One Bank, TD Bank, Aramark, Covanta Energy, Matrix Development Group, the family of Ronald Mount and OxyMagic carpet cleaning.
The Essex County Park System was created in 1895 and is the first county park system established in the United States. The Park System consists of more than 6,000 acres and has 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, a zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, ice skating rink, roller skating rink, three public golf courses, golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, five off-leash dog facilities, a castle and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Turtle Back Zoo is located in Essex County’s South Mountain Reservation and was opened to the public in 1963.