Future of Cherry Brook Zoo concerns outdoor preschool owner

The owner of an outdoor preschool is worried about the future of Saint John's Cherry Brook Zoo.

Tim Jones, of the Tír na nÓg Forest School, just started renting space at the zoo in September.

But the zoo is facing a financial crisis and is seeking $60,000 in emergency funding from the city.

Jones says the well-managed zoo grounds at the edge of the sprawling Rockwood Park are perfect for his unique preschool, which focuses on hands-on experiential learning by "getting the kids out, getting them active and getting them moving" all year round.

"If they have an interest in jumping in puddles, we’ll teach them about puddles, if they have an interest in picking moss off a rock, we’ll teach them what moss is, and if they have an interest in playing with bugs and caterpillars and so on, we’ll teach them what they are and what ones are OK to touch and which ones aren’t."

You couldn't ask for a better environment.- Tim Jones, Tír na nÓg Forest School owner

"You couldn't ask for a better environment," said Jones, noting the children typically spend about 95 per cent of the day outdoors, even eating in a picnic area, sometimes cooking over a bonfire.

"We have access to animals, which we can educate the children on. We have access to the wooded area in the banished kingdom, which, there’s obviously a lot of learning that can happen in that environment, and then backing onto Rockwood Park, it gives us a phenomenal system for the children to go and explore and do some hikes," he said.

"Some of these children will travel upwards of three to four to five kilometres a day. There's not a lot of places in our city where we have access to that type of environment. So we appreciate the resources the zoo is able to offer us."

Jones is also expecting to expand. He says Tír na nÓg, which also has a location in Sussex, is currently the only forest school program in the Maritimes, and is growing in popularity.

"There's certainly not a lot of supply out there and so we're starting to see that demand come through," he said.

"We've seen a huge growth," since the Sussex location opened in September 2013. "And we anticipate we're going to see more of that in the future."

Jones says he already has one class fully booked for this fall and is close to filling a second class. He has even started filling positions for 2016, he said.

Financial reprieve until February

The zoo's chief administrative director, ​Leonard Collrin, announced Tuesday that Rothesay came forward with $5,000 in funding and Quispamsis agreed to contribute $2,500, which will be enough to keep the facility running until until at least February.

But Saint John's new city grants committee has put off making any decision about the zoo's request for $60,000 until after the Jan. 15 deadline for all applications.

The requested amount is the maximum the grants committee is allowed to allocate to non-profit groups in the city.

If the new committee recommends funding be extended to the zoo, the move will still have to be approved by city council.

Cherry Brook Zoo opened in 1978 on a 14.1-hectare parcel of land in Rockwood Park.