Riverview Park & Zoo Launches Return to Full Schedule; Creates Fundraising Campaign For New Train Next Year

Riverview Park & Zoo is celebrating their grand opening on Saturday with a return of all amenities and services while launching a fundraising campaign to replace the miniature locomotive projected for next year on Friday.

Donors Anne and Ross Dobbins conducting the first train ride of the season. The miniature train ride was first established in 1974 with the support of James Hamilton. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Amenities include the Kiwanis snack bar and miniature train rides that are in full operation from Victoria Day Weekend until Labour Day weekend. The zoo is open from 8:30 a.m. to dusk daily.

The grand re-opening family-friendly event includes the following:

• 10:00 a.m. Zoo Yoga - with Salty Yoga

• 10:00 a.m. Snack Shack opens

• 10:00 a.m. Gift Shop Market opens

• 11:00 a.m. Storytime in the Park

• 1:00 p.m. Bird-Friendly Trail Walks

• 3:00 p.m. Concert in the Park: Steve Waters and Cartwright Boundary

• Draw for a zoo Swag Basket and an exclusive family/group tour

The 1974 miniature locomotive is running for its last year. The train will be replaced through a fundraiser known as the ‘Riverview Railway Capital Campaign.’ The zoo has already raised roughly 50 per cent of its total funding for the train from donors and prior fundraising efforts.

“In 1979, the company that made the train went out of business," said Jim Maloney, zoo manager and curator. "Finding replacement parts for it at this point is getting very difficult or very expensive. We don't want to be in a situation where we have a major breakdown and we don't have a train to offer to our visitors."

@ptbo_canada The Riverview Park & Zoo’s train is in its last year as they will try and get a new one for 2023! #ptbo #ptbocanada #zoo #train #minaturetrain #riverview #choochoo ♬ C'mon N' Ride It (The Train) - Quad City DJ's

The zoo is offering dedication plates set in each seat compartment of the new train ride as a fundraising effort. The seat dedications are $2,500 each that include a personalized plaque of either your name or can be dedicated in honour of someone else.

All purchases from the snack bar allow an option to round up the a customer’s bill to the nearest dollar as the proceeds go towards the new train.

To be a sponsor or dedicate a seat bench on the train, please contact Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor 705-748-9301 x 2304 or cmitchell@riverviewparkandzoo.ca.

Donations to the ‘All Aboard the Riverview Railway Train Campaign’ can be made online.

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Riverview Park and Zoo's Miniature Train Goes Off the Rails From Vandalism; Trademark Bell Stolen

Riverview Park and Zoo’s miniature train was vandalized and had its historic bell stolen announced on Saturday.

Last year, $19,940 was raised from a 308-piece, 11 x 17-inch puzzle of the current 1860 locomotive replica fundraising campaign towards a new train. Photo courtesy of Rivervew Park & Zoo.

Zoo staff discovered the damage on Friday morning during their spring maintenance but is not confirmed if the incident was on two separate occasions or one. No suspects were located during the incident according to the Peterborough Police.

“Some days are more challenging than others. Unfortunately, vandals have broken into the train tunnel, damaged our venerable train locomotive & stolen its signature brass bell,” said Jim Moloney, zoo manager and curator. “If you have info that may lead to the return of the bell, please contact us or Peterborough Police.”

The train was scheduled to run for Victoria Day weekend (May 21-22) according to the Zoo’s Facebook page before discovering the vandalism.

“In addition to the cost of repair/replacement, thoughtless acts like this really have a negative impact on our team of dedicated and passionate staff,” said Maloney on Facebook.

The train‘s parts are no longer manufactured and require an engineer to create according to Paul Hartung, zoo board member in a prior interview.

The miniature train ride is an 1860 locomotive replica. Located under sabre jet, the train track is over two kilometres and the ride is roughly ten minutes long according to the zoo’s website.

The train was built in 1974, costs two dollars to ride and is free for children under two.

The country’s only accredited free-admission zoo has over 55 acres of the zoo on the Otonabee River with over 25 exhibits and 40 animal species.

The zoo’s goal is to still have the train operable for Victoria Day weekend.

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Look: The New Train Tunnel Portals At The Zoo Are Awesome

The Riverview Park & Zoo has done a facelift on their tunnel portals on their miniature train ride, and now they are both complete. Here's pictures via their Facebook page.  

The Bramhope tunnel portal which was used to create the south tunnel facade.

New portal facade at north end of tunnel.

The Hoosac tunnel portal which was used to create the north portal facade.

New portal facade at south end of tunnel.

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