dogofwar
CCA Members
[FONT=Rockwell, Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dear Matthew, [/FONT]
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As you may have read or heard, our historic aquarium in the nation's capital must vacate its current space and close on September 30 to make way for major renovations to the U.S. Department of Commerce building. When the building (now called the Herbert C. Hoover Building) opened in 1932, one of its unique features was that it housed the fledgling National Aquarium, which had been operated in one form or another by the Fisheries Service since 1873. In its 140 years of existence, the National Aquarium, Washington, DC, has had a long and illustrious history—one that is far from over.
Following its September 30 closing, we must transfer the Aquarium's 2,500 animals to new homes. The process began months ago, with a careful assessment of every animal and plant in the facility. Staff then developed detailed plans for transferring 1,700 of the animals to our Animal Care Center in Baltimore and locating new homes for the remaining 800 animals at other accredited institutions. Over the next six weeks, our Animal Care staff will be concentrating on transporting these animals safely and securely to their new destinations, where all will continue to educate and inspire the public. National Aquarium, Washington, DC, staff members have been offered positions at our aquarium in Baltimore or other facilities, while others will be given support for finding new work. Pumps, filters, acrylic windows, holding tanks and a host of other equipment must be inventoried, disassembled and reused or recycled. In total, it will take at least three months to demobilize a facility that has been hosting visitors for 81 years.
As we close one chapter and begin another, I would like to thank you for your support of America's first—and longest continuously operating—public aquarium. I also want to update you, as a member of our Aquarium family, on plans for a continued presence in the nation's capital. We have recently embarked on a strategic plan, called BLUEprint, to identify feasibility and potential uses for a new facility in the capital.
Over the next six months, our team will work with expert planners and designers from Studio Gang Architects and IMPACTS Research & Development to establish exactly what form any future endeavors should take. Knowing the talents that this team brings to bear, I am confident that our future in the capital will do justice to the legacy of the National Aquarium in DC.
Your support as a member is essential to the work that we do every day, as we strive to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. I look forward to sharing our future plans for the National Aquarium in DC as they take shape. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at 410-659-4230 or members@aqua.org. You can also visit us at www.aqua.org/dc for the latest news and information. And we hope to see you soon in Baltimore, where you will be able to experience many of these remarkable animals in their new home.
Warm regards,
John Racanelli
CEO, National Aquarium
[/FONT]Following its September 30 closing, we must transfer the Aquarium's 2,500 animals to new homes. The process began months ago, with a careful assessment of every animal and plant in the facility. Staff then developed detailed plans for transferring 1,700 of the animals to our Animal Care Center in Baltimore and locating new homes for the remaining 800 animals at other accredited institutions. Over the next six weeks, our Animal Care staff will be concentrating on transporting these animals safely and securely to their new destinations, where all will continue to educate and inspire the public. National Aquarium, Washington, DC, staff members have been offered positions at our aquarium in Baltimore or other facilities, while others will be given support for finding new work. Pumps, filters, acrylic windows, holding tanks and a host of other equipment must be inventoried, disassembled and reused or recycled. In total, it will take at least three months to demobilize a facility that has been hosting visitors for 81 years.
As we close one chapter and begin another, I would like to thank you for your support of America's first—and longest continuously operating—public aquarium. I also want to update you, as a member of our Aquarium family, on plans for a continued presence in the nation's capital. We have recently embarked on a strategic plan, called BLUEprint, to identify feasibility and potential uses for a new facility in the capital.
Over the next six months, our team will work with expert planners and designers from Studio Gang Architects and IMPACTS Research & Development to establish exactly what form any future endeavors should take. Knowing the talents that this team brings to bear, I am confident that our future in the capital will do justice to the legacy of the National Aquarium in DC.
Your support as a member is essential to the work that we do every day, as we strive to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. I look forward to sharing our future plans for the National Aquarium in DC as they take shape. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at 410-659-4230 or members@aqua.org. You can also visit us at www.aqua.org/dc for the latest news and information. And we hope to see you soon in Baltimore, where you will be able to experience many of these remarkable animals in their new home.
Warm regards,
John Racanelli
CEO, National Aquarium
