(WBIR-Knoxville) There are more changes in the works for the Knoxville Zoo, this time outside the gates.
Last week we told you how the Knoxville Zoo is preparing for some of the biggest changes it has made in nearly two decades. Plans include a new reptile house, as well as relocating the tigers, rhinos, and zebras.
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"You're just going to see a lot of exciting changes. It's not something that's far into the future. It's going to be happening very, very soon," said Tina Rolen, Knoxville Zoo Spokesperson.
The Knox County Commission has approved a four year Defined Services Contract with the zoo. It provides $650 thousand in funding. It will completely revamp the way "Zoo Drive" looks today.
"You will see a lot of things that are zoo related. There will be some architectural structures, some topiary's that may be in the shape of a giraffe," said Eddie Mannis, who serves as the Vice-chairman on the Knoxville Zoo's board of directors.
The landscaping project is part of the Knoxville Zoo's five year plan, which includes some of the biggest changes the zoo has ever seen.
"The implementation of the strategic plan means we are now about to develop a master plan that's going to completely and dynamically change the way visitors experience the Knoxville Zoo over the next five years," Rolen said.
Knoxville Zoo Drive will be transformed into a zoo-scaped boulevard that aims to give visitors the first impression of a lifetime.
"I think the zoo property is phenomenal, it's a great zoo," Mannis said. "But the first impression driving in is not so great. We felt like it was really important to make that first impression long lasting."
There are big plans for the intersection of Prosser Road and Knoxville Zoo Drive. Officials are envisioning a majestic stone as well as a passage that resembles East Tennessee's mountains.
"As you drive into Disney World you see the tall grass, you see the topiary's which are sculptured. I think that it could look a lot like that but make it more of an East Tennessee kind of theme," Mannis said.
The landscaping project is still in the visionary stages so there aren't any official renderings at this time. Zoo officials said the design concept is being created now and they hope to start construction in the coming months.
