Elmvale Zoo reopens to public
Elmvale Zoo reopened its doors Saturday after months of being locked down.
Like many business owners across Simcoe-Muskoka allowed to reopen on Friday, the owners and staff of the family-owned zoo are elated.
Staff say similar excitement has extended to the public.
"When we announced that we would be opening our doors on June 12, within 24 hours, we received 3000 reservations," says owner Michel Persi. "Our system was overwhelmed, but we're just amazed, just the support and everyone coming together to help us take care of our beautiful zoo family. We really appreciate it."
Like last year, numerous safety protocols are in place, including mandatory pre-booking online to limit capacity. Additionally, masks are only required at the entrance, washrooms and exits, but not throughout the zoo.
Staff say that the pandemic has posed specific challenges.
"It's been extremely tough," says manager Michel Persi. "Last year, we were only allowed to have 30 percent capacity, no gift shop, no snack bar. So it was really hard on us."
Despite the limitations, last season still brought an overwhelming amount of interest from the public seeking family-friendly entertainment. So much so that the owners say that they were booked up two years in advance.
To book your online reservation, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.