DALLAS — After operating for more than 80 years, the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park has closed its doors, leaving memories in its absence. The pandemic forced the Dallas gem to shut down on March 13, but fans didn’t expect it would be the last time they’d get a chance to visit their aquatic friends.
“I think it’s a somewhat sad situation due to the fact that when I moved here in 1984, that was one of the places that I enjoyed taking my children and they are adults now,” said Linda Polk of DeSoto. “I am a person who is fascinated by looking at different types of animals in their habitat.”
The aquarium opened its doors in June 1936 as the Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park, according to Gregg Hudson, The Dallas Zoo president and CEO.
Back in 2009, Dallas Zoo Management Inc. took over operations of the facility, rebranding it as the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park and reopened it in 2010. Since then, Hudson estimates that about 135,000 people have visited the aquarium annually. But, with the closure in early spring – a busy season – Hudson noted there was “no way to recover this year.”
“This was a strategic decision that took into account the ongoing costs necessary to operate the aquarium, as well as the budget realities facing The Dallas Zoo and the City of Dallas,” said Hudson. “This was part of a right-sizing of the budget on all fronts, given the unprecedented challenges this year.”
The news prompted patrons to flock to the aquarium’s Facebook page to offer solutions to keep the aquarium afloat, such as reservations or limited capacity. And while some bounced around ideas for reopening, others discussed their memorable experiences at the oldest aquarium in the state.
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“The reality is the aquarium is costly to maintain and operate and has operated at a loss year after year,” said Hudson. “From equipment maintenance to building maintenance to animal food and procedures to staffing, the cost annually to operate it outpaced revenue every year. Given the situation created by the pandemic and the shutdown earlier this year, and with the cancellation of the State Fair, which is the highest traffic-driver of the year for us, these ongoing issues became insurmountable.”
A retired Dallas Independent School District teacher, Polk recalled the many field trips she took with students to visit the aquarium every year.
"That will be one of the things that will probably have a lasting memory on me other than my children,” she said. “You would think that maybe other organizations could reach out and maybe keep it open at a different location. But, unfortunately, COVID-19 has really had a lasting impact on a lot of things.”
On Aug. 18, Tara Hudson created a GoFundMe page titled “Save The Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park.” The fundraiser has raised just $735 toward its goal of $600,000. Additionally, a petition on change.org has garnered at least 2,200 signatures out of a goal of 2,500.
“It would be truly devastating for Dallas to lose such an accessible and educational outlet for the youth along with everyone else in the community,” wrote Teree Berry, the petition organizer. “You can help keep the aquarium open by signing the petition and reaching out to the Dallas City Council directly to let them know how much the aquarium means to you.”
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Spectrum News 1 Texas reached out to Dallas City Council Member Adam Bazaldua, who represents District 7, where Fair Park is located, but did not receive a response prior to the publication of this article. Per Hudson, the City of Dallas still owns what he describes as a “piece of Dallas history,” adding that it's ultimately up to the city to decide what to do with it. But, in the meantime, the future of the animals continues to be a top concern.
“The welfare of our animals is our top priority and our staff will continue to provide daily care and facilitate re-homing the 4,000 animals that reside at the aquarium,” said Hudson. “We have been in talks with other AZA-accredited and specialized facilities that might be able to accept the animals from the aquarium. Those conversations have gone very well and we’ve already begun the process of moving some of the animals that call the aquarium home.”
Despite their disappointment, Hudson says the North Texas community has been overwhelmingly supportive of the aquarium during this time. Although the future of the kid-friendly facility is in question, Hudson insists there’s no doubt the role the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park played in so many lives.
“We know the Children's Aquarium at Fair Park served an important role in our community, providing guests of all ages an educational and engaging experience,” he said. “We've heard from fans who have memories going back for years and who have brought their kids or grandkids to the aquarium who are so sad to see us go.”