Planned aquarium to focus on conservation, education

The Shreveport City Council introduced an ordinance Sept.13 which, if ultimately approved, would be more steps toward the opening of an aquarium in downtown Shreveport by the summer of 2017.

The ordinance would lease the Barnwell Garden and Arts Center to Planet Aqua Group, a private company planning the $4.3 million for-profit venture. The aquarium is projected to bring in close to 140,000 visitors a year within a 100-mile radius of Shreveport, said Jon Whitehead, project director for Planet Aqua Group. A bonus for the community is the aquarium is expected to breathe new life into the former Arts Center, which shut down more than four years ago and has sat empty since while city leaders looked for a way to transform it.

“Once it’s built, it stands on its own feet,” said Whitehead of the aquarium, with no money from the city or the state involved.

Once the lease is in effect, the city expects to realize a savings of about $30,000 annually, which is spent on maintaining the building, including keeping the utilities on and minor repair and maintenance, said Africa Price, director of public relations and communications for the City of Shreveport.

Aside from the savings, the city will also see a sizeable stream of revenue in the form of tax receipts from the aquarium’s ticket sales, which are expected to range from $8-$12 per person.

The aquarium will be Planet Aqua Group’s inaugural project, and construction is expected to begin in November, after Planet Aqua Group establishes its offices in Shreveport.

Whitehead, with a degree in fisheries and a background in aquatic exhibits as well as energy and environmental design, said he is intent on creating programming that will educate youth not just on aquatic life, but also on the importance of sustainability, environmental awareness and the protection and conservation of natural resources.

“I’ve been interested in this all my life,” he said. “If you’re a marine biologist, then you’re sensitive to this sort of thing.”

Toward that end, Whitehead said he expects the aquarium to coordinate programming with Sci-Port, the new YMCA Science Center and other groups, partnering together with them on environmental work, to include Red River cleanup.

The aquarium will boast more than 3,000 animals and almost 300 species, from tiny snails to sharks.

“We’re looking at an hour to an hour and a half dwell time, especially if you get involved with all the activities,” Whitehead said.

An ancient shipwreck at the main entrance could be based on a ship that sank in the Red River or a Spanish Galleon, Whitehead said. “It will be pretty atmospheric, with wood walls and creaking and dry ice to create fog. It’s going to be a fun space.”

A bayou exhibit which will make use of the building’s dome, will be themed to recreate “Caddo Lake, the Red River, its watershed and all the different habitat of this region,” Whitehead said.

Sharks and rays will swim overhead as visitors walk through a 16- to 18-foot-long tunnel, while conservation-themed, traveling and temporary exhibits will provide incentive for repeat visitors.

But the touch exhibits are what Whitehead said he is most excited about. The aquarium will provide freshwater touch tanks, cold water and invertebrate touch tanks, stingray and shark touch tanks as well as a jellyfish touch tank.

All the touch tanks will be operated under the very strict protocol set forth by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, he added.

The Touching Tomorrow Gallery will include wall-to-wall video display of what is happening in global conservation around the world in real time, Whitehead said.

“If there’s an oil spill in the Gulf, it will show that. The idea is that this becomes a local, global and regional message board to reflect what is happening. We want to use kids as roving reporters. They can be recognized by putting their footage in this gallery,” he said. “We’re trying to connect to the community in a lot of different ways. It’s all about sustainability.”

Local groups will be invited to share their conservation activities. “We’re trying to get people engaged, understanding that they can be part of the solution in their own community, whether its cleanup, recycling, tree planting, all those different things.”

“Our goal is to get every child in the region through the aquarium. We’re meeting with school superintendents [in September] to discuss how these plans will be implemented,” Whitehead said.

Whitehead said Planet Aqua Group will also be in attendance at the upcoming Red River Revel, set for Oct. 1-8, and is looking forward to interacting with the community.

“We’ll be doing different activities, teaching about recycling and activities for the kids based on those types of principles,” he said.

– Tammy Sharp