A new addition to Bellevue Downtown Park’s Gateway Plaza has been announced. A petting zoo will be a permanent fixture of the new pedestrian entrance when construction reaches completion.
The petting zoo will feature animals like chinchillas, alpacas, ponies, pigs, rabbits, and kittens. There will be seasonal animals that are also rotated into the zoo including baby chicks, bearded dragons, giraffes, and goats will also make their appearance. As some of the animals are seasonal, the animals that are featured will change throughout the year. A zookeeper has been hired who will facilitate community members visiting the animals.
To offset the smell of manure from the animals, the City has planted lilacs and lemon verbena to fill the area with scents of ripe pineapple and vanilla scented perfume.
The Gateway Plaza is also planned to include new lighting, a water feature, public art, improvements to the landscape and infrastructure, and a more formal connection to the downtown core. The project is 1.77 acres, in comparison to Bellevue Downtown Park, which is 17.8 acres.
Petting zoo hours will be from 12 pm to 6 pm, daily. It is planned to open in summer 2021.
The AFD Organization will be executing the petting zoo as soon as they finalize plans with the City of Bellevue.
For more information, and to find out which animals will be featured during which months, visit the website.
