There is uncertainty swirling around the Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John.
The husband-and-wife-team who have been the face of the zoo for decades have now left.
Leonard Collrin was the zoo’s chief administrative director and Linda Collrin served as the volunteer director of zoo development.
As of Saturday, very little information about the development had been made available.
One zoo official told Global News that Leonard and Linda Collrin are not currently associated with the zoo.
The situation took many people by surprise, including the city’s deputy mayor.
“It’s unfortunate they didn’t let the city know,” Shirley McAlary said. “It would have been better I think, if they had allowed us to have that information so that we would have known just what’s happening.”
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The zoo’s financial struggles had previously been well publicized as it worked to establish a stable funding situation with the city.
McAlary said support from the city has continued.
“We’ve always given them a grant,” she said. “This year we gave them $50,000.”
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One thing McAlary said she wasn’t disputing was the Collrins’ commitment to the facility.
“They did everything, as far as I’m concerned, for the zoo,” she said. “It’s almost as if they owned it personally because they both worked at it and they’re the ones that know the best what to do with the animals that are there.”
The Canadian zoo community is a small one according to Bruce Dougan, the manager of the Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton. He said the Collrins’ departure could prove troublesome down the road.
“There are few people that can fill a position such as that so I’m sure there’s going to be some difficulty in replacing the Collrins at the Cherry Brook Zoo.”
The zoo’s board of directors is expected to meet on Monday to decide how to move forward.
More information is expected at that time.
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