BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Just four months after breaking ground, phase one of the Lehigh Valley Zoo's $10 million expansion project is complete.
Whispers of excitement rang out among children in the crowd Wednesday as zoo Chief Executive Officer Amanda Shurr gave thanks to donors and supporters in front of the Fred & Anne Jaindl Barnyard.
Next to it, the newly upgraded equipment at the 5,500-square-foot St. Luke's Children's Hospital Playground stood ready for its first visitors.
Shurr called phase one of the Children's Activity Area, or CAA, project — which included the barnyard and playground — "a labor of love."
"I had someone earlier who commented, you know, we did the groundbreaking in July, and so it seems really quick from that point in time till now," she said.
"But for me, it's been a long time coming."
In July, Shurr said the barn will let guests feed and pet animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, pigs and alpacas, including the zoo's newest resident, a baby alpaca inside, and venture out to interact with them in the yard, as well.
'A great asset'
For Kayla Marhefka, of Whitehall Township, it's the perfect addition for her habitual trips to the zoo with her 4-year-old son.
Marhefka, a former zoo employee, said she's made it a tradition to visit, especially for events such as Wednesday's ribbon-cutting.
"It's just been a thing that him and I have done ever since I became a mom," Marhefka said. "We come and we do laps around the zoo and want to see it through his eyes and see all the changes.
"He was very excited about the playground until we got into the barn and he realized just how close he could get to the animals."Kayla Marhefka of Whitehall Township, speaking about her 4-year-old son
"I grew up in the Lehigh Valley and came here as a kid, so being able to take my own kid, seeing everything the zoo's doing to make it better, more family-friendly, I get to keep making memories and more animal friends."
Her son couldn't decide between whether the animals or playground excited him more, but Marhefka said she thinks the barnyard intrigued him more.
"He was very excited about the playground until we got into the barn and he realized just how close he could get to the animals," she said.
That kind of experience is what David Jaindl, owner and president of Jaindl Farms, said his family hopes the new space they sponsored helps cultivate.
"We love the zoo," Jaindl said. "It's a great asset here in the Valley, and it's such a positive thing for the positive place for the kids to be."
Three phases ahead
As a parent, Marhefka said she appreciated the size of the upgraded playground. She said "it's definitely something that there's a little bit of everything for" every age group.
Allentown resident Courtney Stoeckel said she felt the same way. With two boys at different ages, Stoeckel said she's also excited by the playground upgrades.
"We love we used to love coming here, just even with the smaller playground," she said. "But now with this here, I have an older son, too, so I'll be bringing him here to tire him out."
The entire project is expected to be completed in 2027. Under phase two, construction of the Isaacman Family Education Center would begin.
That would be followed by a splash pad addition and improvements to guest amenities in phases three and four.
The zoo has raised $3.7 million of its $10 million goal for the CAA, which is financed by philanthropy, public support and zoo funding, according to a release from the zoo.
Information about the project and how to become a contributor is available at lvzoo.org/CAA.