House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2840 Native Florida - Aquarium & Teaching Facility
Requester:	Margo McKnight		Organization:		Executive Director-Brevard Zoo-East Coast Zoological Society
Project Title:	Native Florida - Aquarium & Teaching Facility		Date Submitted:		01/31/2000 3:16:34 PM
District Member:	Harry Goode		Service Area:		Regional
Counties Affected:	Brevard
Recipient:	Brevard Zoo-East Coast Zoological Society		Contact:		Margo McKnight
	8225 N. Wickham Road		Contact Phone:		(321) 254-9453 23
	Melbourne 32940
Project Description:
The Native Florida Aquarium and Teaching Facility will be an innovative hands-on Aquarium open to the public as well as a teaching facility focusing on teachers throughout the state of Florida while including in-depth field trips for schools in the nearby five counties.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The Native Florida Aquarium and Teaching Facility will be a hands-on, interactive learning experience located at the Brevard Zoo. The facility will function to educate the public, approximately 230,000 annually, as well as 300 schoolteachers and 25,000 school children. This facility will focus on the vital importance of Florida's aquatic resources by highlighting the Indian River Lagoon while encompassing aquatic issues statewide.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Pre- and post-teacher and student evaluations will be given for all formal classes. The number of teachers and students attending classes will be tabulated. The 230,000 zoo visitors will be randomly surveyed, as well as informal observations throughout the year. This project is designed to educate the public on the vital importance of the Indian River Lagoon as well as statewide aquatic resources and to encourage them to preserve this part of our Florida heritage.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$250,000
Total cost of the project:		$1,250,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
	Cash Amount:	$232,000		In-Kind Amount:		$30,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$250,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				YesConstruction
	Will this be an annual request?					Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	Indian River Lagoon SWIM Plan and the Indian River Lagoon CCMP document the need for education.
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						No