Re: “Denver Zoo seeking to hike admission fees as city’s rising costs felt by even its animal inhabitants,” March 21 news story.
As a former educator, I was appalled at the news that the Denver Zoo is seeking to raise its entry fees. The fees are already high at $17 per adult and $12 per child. The new rates are $20 for adults and $14 for children. Tots 3 and under are admitted free. Therefore, the cost for a zoo outing for a family of four would be $68 — and thatap without purchasing snacks.
How are indigent and lower-middle-class parents supposed to afford these rates? There are absolutely no free days from March through October — when most people would enjoy the zoo.
I’m originally from Norfolk, Va. In order to allow families that can’t afford those exorbitant costs, the zoo had one day a week when people could enter the zoo the last two hours of operation for free. Can’t we extend this same opportunity for our indigent children to be exposed to educational entertainment that they so sorely need? And one free day a month would be even better.
Jean Howell, Centennial
Submit a letter to the editor via or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
