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Indian Boundary Park Zoo: Neighbors Launch 'Save the Zoo' Campaign

 Neighbors launch an effort to save the Indian Boundary Park Zoo, which is threatened with closure.
Save the Zoo
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WEST ROGERS PARK — Residents living near the little-known zoo at Indian Boundary Park are passing out hundreds of flyers and chalking sidewalks with "Save the Zoo."

The small zoo, owned by the Chicago Park District and managed by Lincoln Park Zoo, at one time housed llamas, a cow and even a bear.

But in recent years many of the animal enclosures have been emptied after they fell into disrepair. Only a few chickens, goats and ducks remain.

Now the Park District plans to permanently close the zoo and replace it with a habitat to attract area wildlife.

"It's hard to get people's attention," said Jennifer Albom, president of the park's advisory council.

So, the council plans to host a public meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave., in an effort to churn up enough resistance to force the Park District to scrap its plan.

Albom, 47, said when she moved to the area 13 years ago "the zoo was super cool."

But over the years, the animal population at the zoo — at 2500 W. Lunt Ave. — has dwindled.

Effort to get more animals for the park and fix up its cages were "rebuffed and ignored," Albom said.

The park itself was in rough shape a few years ago, she said, but she and others formed groups that helped maintain the park's gardens and playground.

She said the park began to improve — except for the zoo.

She says the $90,000 a year the Park District budgets to feed the animals and maintain the enclosures doesn't add up: "We have basically $1 million over the past 10 years disappearing — for chickens."

Now she might be running out of time.

"This is it," she said of Wednesday's meeting. "This is my last chance."