Cherry Brook Zoo welcomes earlier news on funding

Saint John's Cherry Brook Zoo is starting off the new year with new animals and a new funding commitment from city council.

The zoo relies on financial support from the city, but last year, that support was late in coming.

This year, Saint John councillors have already penciled funding for the zoo into their budget.

Two nilgais were born at the zoo on Dec. 27 and Len Collrin, the zoo's director, said he is much more at ease knowing he has the money to care for the Asian antelopes into the new year.

"It's such a stressful time because you're talking about your very existence. And we're always very grateful when it does come through," he said.

Saint John's capital budget includes a $50,000 grant for the zoo.

It's the same amount as 2015, but last year the city didn't say for months whether it would fund the zoo at all.

The uncertainty put the zoo on edge, not knowing if it would survive the cut as the city finalized its budget.

The city money helps a lot, but Collrin says if it wasn't for volunteers, the zoo would be in big trouble.

Shane Button, a zookeeper, says many of the supplies for the new reptile house were donated by zoo supporters.

"Fifty-thousand dollars is basically just to keep us alive and having people donate the materials and stuff like that helps us make money off of the things that we're going to be doing," said Button.

Coun. John MacKenzie said he thinks the zoo will always need basic funding, but he would like to see the organization do more to help itself.

"We would like to see the zoo, you know, work to become more self-sufficient and they have plans in place, so we're going to give them that chance," MacKenzie said.