As mentioned in previous articles, the Education Department of the Magnetic Hill Zoo has become a very important aspect of the zoo. This department is in charge of any of the educational programs put on at the zoo, such as the day camps, summer camps, outreaches, hosted parties and tours, and much more.
In fact, the department's achievements have earned it two awards. The first, the Tom Baines Award - which is the highest achievement in the Canadian Zoo Industry - was awarded to the Magnetic Hill Zoo in 1993.
Tom Baines was the first zookeeper to work at the Calgary Zoo. He really enjoyed teaching kids about animals in and outside of the zoo. In fact, he did so well into his 80s, even after retirement.
The Tom Baines Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of zoo or aquarium in one of four categories. The categories are Exhibit Design, Animal Husbandry Success, Education and Other.
The Tom Baines Award was awarded to the Magnetic Hill Zoo because, despite the fact that the Toronto Zoo, Calgary Zoo and Biodome were also in the running for the award, the Magnetic Hill Zoo followed many of the same educational patterns as Tom Baines himself. Rather then just keep the education within the walls of the zoo, the Magnetic Hill Zoo Education team, and Tom Baines, enjoy taking learning about animals and conservation outside of the zoo.
In 1997, the zoo earned an Outstanding Achievement Award for its ability to develop so quickly with such a small budget.
The Magnetic Hill Zoo has certainly come along way since it was the Magnetic Hill Game Farm and it has done so with a relatively small amount of money. The Friends of the Zoo and the Education Department have helped a lot with fundraising, contributing greatly to the Magnetic Hill Zoo receiving this award.
Department staff definitely work hard to make the zoo visitors' time at the Magnetic Hill Zoo not only fun, but educational as well.
* Isabelle Agnew's Zoo News appears daily in Life & Times.