Last modified: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:38 AM EST A new boardwalk, one of many improvements, spans Capron Park Zoo's long vacant pond. (Staff photo by MIKE GEORGE) No time for hibernating at zoo BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Snow was swirling outside Jean Benchimol's office window Friday and the zoo was nearly deserted, but that didn't mean it was time to take a break. Workers prepared food for animals, cleared piles of leaves, cleaned and restocked exhibits and Benchimol, who became zoo director in May of 2005, was busy planning for the future. "People will see some projects coming together for a really great year next year," she said. "The staff is working really hard to make sure it's a great year." She has reason for optimism. An exhibit for the zoo's long vacant and neglected pond is now under construction and should be finished by summer, and plans to bring a white lion to the facility are on track. Work on the pond, which began this year, has made good progress. A stone retaining wall has been built, a boardwalk has been completed, and the islands have been constructed and have been provided with electricity. Winter weather has put a halt to the project for now, but it will begin again in the spring, Benchimol said. The pond exhibit includes two islands that will be inhabited by a variety of lemurs including three ring-tailed lemurs which have arrived at the zoo but are not on exhibit because they are still in quarantine. Benchimol is hoping the white lion exhibit will open sometime in the spring. Quarters for the white lion, which is still in Africa, have been built. The animal won't go on exhibit for some time after it arrives because it has to get accustomed to its new surroundings, the other lions and the zoo keepers. But all is going well, she said. "Everything is in place, we're still looking at target date for spring," Benchimol said. Meanwhile financial support for the facility from attendance, memberships, donations and grants is strong, she said. New and rehabilitated exhibits, improved landscaping and concessions and a new gift shop have all helped to spur a big boost in patrons, which in turn has spurred a big boost in revenue. Last year, attendance zoomed up by 21 percent, or 13,798 people. Total attendance was 79,611. So far this fiscal year, which started on July 1, attendance increased in every month over the same period from last year except last month, when bad weather was blamed for a drop in attendance of about 1,000. But even with one very bad month, the zoo is still ahead of last year's pace by 2,000 people, she said. And memberships have gone up from 240 households to 800 households, Benchimol said. The increased attendance and memberships coupled with an increase in ticket prices have strengthened the zoo's revolving account, which pays for everything except salaries, which come from the city budget. Exact figures weren't immediately available, but the numbers are good, Benchimol said. "We've done well," Benchimol said. "Are we rich? No. But we're holding are own." Meanwhile, zoo support group Friends of Capron Park Zoo has continued its strong backing. The Friends paid for the $90,000 boardwalk. And recently the Bristol County Bank Foundation gave the zoo a $7,500 matching grant to pay for aerators and lights for the pond. While her bosses give Benchimol kudos for improvements to the zoo, she passes them along to her staff. "The staff works really hard to produce a good product," she said. And that's a continual effort. "We never stop here," Benchimol said. "We're always having meetings to see what we can do to improve." GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.