A house RESOLUTION

TO DECLARE WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024, AS "RIVERBANKS ZOO AND GARDEN DAY" THROUGHOUT THE STATE, TO ENCOURAGE ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS TO CONGRATULATE THE RIVERBANKS FAMILY FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK OVER THE PAST FIFTY YEARS, AND TO WISH THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

Whereas, on April 25, 1974, Riverbanks Zoo opened to the public and welcomed its first visitors to moated exhibits featuring cats, bears, giraffes, and white rhinos; individual exhibits of small mammals; and the Ecosystem Birdhouse, which showcased hundreds of birds in indoor and outdoor exhibits; and

Whereas, in its first major expansion, completed in 1989, Riverbanks updated food service and other guest amenities and added two new exhibits: Riverbanks Farm, home to domestic animals in a farm setting, and the aquarium-reptile complex, with diverse habitats ranging from the desert to the tropics to the ocean. These new attractions contributed to a count of over one million visitors in 1990; and

Whereas, located across the Lower Saluda River, Riverbanks Botanical Garden opened in 1995 and presently features more than four thousand two hundred species of native and exotic plants in gardens that reflect their growth requirements and natural beauty. In addition, the botanical garden offers gardening workshops, classes, and guided tours for all levels of gardeners; and

Whereas, having broken ground in May 2014, the three-phase expansion and development project known as Destination Riverbanks added animal habitats Grizzly Ridge and Otter Run, the new Guest Relations Center, and Waterfall Junction in the garden for children to play in and explore. The project culminated in the opening of Sea Lion Landing, a replica of Pier 39 in San Francisco, inhabited by sea lions and harbor seals; and

Whereas, between June 2020 and April 2024, the privately funded Phase One of the zoo's Bridge to the Wild expansion added an immersive habitat for southern white rhinos and realized the completely reimagined Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center, shining a light on the important conservation work Riverbanks is doing behind the scenes to protect threatened coral and gecko populations. Further, this expansion is nearing completion of the new Lloyd S. and Doris N. Liles Komodo Dragon facility, and it has begun architectural planning for the Jane B. Friedman Conservation Learning Center; and

Whereas, in December 2023, the respective county councils of Richland and Lexington counties approved a general obligation bond that will support Phase Two of the zoo's Bridge to the Wild expansion, which will feature a primate forest and multipurpose restaurant facility, as well as a South Carolina nature preserve along the banks of the Saluda River. Moreover, upgraded big cat habitats will add to the zoo's other new features to propel Riverbanks' attendance to 1.6 million annually and drive $175 million annually in economic impact to our State; and

Whereas, while adhering to the highest standards in the care and conservation of animals and plants, Riverbanks also serves to protect and preserve the historical significance of the Saluda River Factory District and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; and

Whereas, with creative vision, strategic planning, and strong support, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden has become an award-winning, highly acclaimed center for conservation, education, entertainment, and history and is now celebrating fifty years as a community treasure in our State. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, declare Wednesday, May 1, 2024, as "Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Day" throughout the State, encourage all South Carolinians to congratulate the Riverbanks family for their outstanding work over the past fifty years, and wish them continued success in the years ahead.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

----XX----