From City Manager
Larry D. Groth

As the former director of the Cameron Park Zoo, I couldn’t be more excited about the Asian Forest Expansion project now becoming a reality.

Work has already begun on the foundation for the new $3.2 million exhibit. What is unique to this expansion is that it will feature Orangutans and Komodo dragons within the shadows of an ancient Asian temple.

The project was made possible by a generous donation from faithful zoo supporters Jim and Nell Hawkins. Additional funding was provided by tax increment financing from the City of Waco, $600,000 from the McLennan County bond election in 2000, the Cameron Park Zoological & Botanical Society and several private donations.

The Asian Forest will include a themed play area, which will allow children to let their imaginations run wild as they entertain themselves on various structures to mimic ape behaviors.

The latest expansion project offers great potential for expanding tourism in Waco. Since the completion of the Brazos River Country exhibit, the Cameron Park Zoo has seen a 52 percent growth in attendance, with more than 250,000 visitors last year.

Approximately 124,000 of those visitors last year drove more than 50 miles to visit our zoo. The Texas Department of Transportation, tourism division establishes a dollar value based on the distance a person drives to visit an attraction. This allows us to determine our visitor’s economic impact on our local economy.

Based on these figures, last year, zoo visitors contributed over $14 million to our local economy.

We predict that the Asian Forest expansion will increase zoo attendance by approximately 50,000 additional visitors. This is equivalent to an additional $3 million invested into our local economy.

Construction on the Asian Forest expansion is expected to take 14 to 16 months to complete depending on weather conditions.

An artist’s rendition of the Asian Forest exhibit at the Cameron Park Zoo.

Fuels Savings : Tips & Strategies

Provided by the Fuel Savings Education and Marketing Committee - Please consider these tips when driving city or personal vehicles.

Plan your route.
When running errands or going on a trip, consider the best way to get to the locations without backtracking. When taking a long trip, use maps or Internet sites to determine the quickest and most direct route.

Avoid left turns.
UPS routes are designed to avoid left turns. The company has learned that idling waiting to turn left wastes gas -- not to mention the cars idling behind you waiting for you to turn. It is also safer to avoid left turns since you reduce the number of times you turn across oncoming traffic.

Schedule regular car maintenance.
Maintaining your car can affect its gas mileage. Just making sure that the tires are properly inflated can save on fuel economy. Crooked alignments and deflated tires (as previously mentioned) work against your engine, robbing power and hurting fuel economy.

Stay on top of your tire’s pressure, tread condition and alignment, and help get your gas mileage spinning in the right direction. Follow the regular maintenance schedule for oil changes, tune-ups and inspections. Don’t keep driving your vehicle if something isn’t functioning properly. Get the problem fixed, and it’s less likely to drain your gas tank.

Reduce the weight in the vehicle.
Unnecessary items in the trunk can contribute to lower gas mileage. Eliminate anything you don’t need that’s weighing you down. Got a mess of clothes, trash and tools in the trunk? Find a new home outside your vehicle for this unused junk. Your suddenly lighter vehicle is easier to get going, improving fuel economy.

Take it easy.
“Hard driving” that includes frequent punching of the gas and slamming on the brakes can really dump fuel economy for your vehicle. Give yourself some extra time, and anticipate stops for smoother braking.

Drive responsibly.
Driving style can affect the gas mileage of your vehicle. Making a fast start from a stoplight or driving over the speed limit can reduce fuel economy.

Stop your idling.
It’s all too easy to waste gas with the car in park going nowhere. If you’re going to be idle for a while, just turn the engine off. Contrary to popular belief, having to restart your car isn’t worse for your fuel economy if you’re going to idle for longer than one minute. A good deal of gas can also be saved by skipping the drive-thru and ordering food from inside your favorite restaurant.

Shovin’ into overdrive.
When you’re up to speed in a manual or automatic vehicle, the overdrive gear is the most efficient operating gear. Using it saves your fuel economy versus using standard drive.

Conclusions
The good news is that you can drastically improve your gas mileage, but you may have to change your driving habits. In the long run this will save you and the City money.

Summer Fun at the Waco Water Park

Waco Water Park is officially open for the summer and full of activities for a splashin’ good time.

Along with programs such as swim lessons, the Waco Wave Swim team and water volleyball, the park will have promotions throughout the summer.

Fathers get in free for Father’s Day on June 15, and on July 4, military members get in the park for free.

The park will also host Dive-In Movies on the first and third Mondays of every month. The movies will begin at 8:30 p.m.

For a complete schedule or program information, call the park at 750-7900 or visit www.waco-texas.com.

Police Academy

The Waco Police Department is accepting applications for police recruits until noon on Friday, Aug. 15. The academy will begin in January 2009.

Beginning salary: $17.91/hour during academy to $19.57/hour after academy.

Police officers from other law enforcement agencies may be eligible for higher starting pay based on previous experience and under certain conditions.

Applicants who have a permanent and current TCLEOSE peace officer’s license may qualify for a modified academy. The City of Waco is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

For more information, contact Waco Police Personnel Office, 721 N. 4th Street, Waco, TX 76701, 800-299-JOBS (5627) or (254) 750-7510, Web site: www.waco-texas.com or E-mail: police-personnel@ci.waco.tx.us.

Summer Showcase

The Waco-McLennan County Library’s Summer Showcase children’s programming continues through Aug. 8.

The schedule is listed below:

• Central Library, 1717 Austin Ave., Thursdays @ 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
• East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave., Tuesdays @ 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
• Hoover Library, 1428 Wooded Acres, Wednesdays @ 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
• South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th St., Fridays @ 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.