MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Zoo and the Overton Park Conservancy both agree on an amended version of Mayor Jim Strickland’s parking plan.
Parking on the Greensward would come to an end under the plan.
To achieve that goal, the plan will:
- Create at least 415 new spaces in the zoo’s current parking lots
- Formalize 200 parking spaces on North Parkway
- Adapt the General Services area to a green space with extra parking for the park
- Create a barrier to separate zoo parking from the Greensward
- Install parking technology so surface parking can be used most efficiently
The parties have worked since January to come to an agreement on this plan.
It will next be up for consideration at the Memphis City Council meeting Tuesday.
Dr. Chuck Brady, the Memphis Zoo president and CEO, said the extra spots will help with the zoo’s parking issues.
“While this is less than our current allocation for overflow parking days, we are committed to making this compromise work so we can continue providing the world-class experience our visitors have come to know and expect,” he said.
The executive director of the OPC, Tina Sullivan, said, “Overton Park Conservancy’s approach from the beginning has been to work collaboratively on solutions that benefit both the park and the Zoo. … We are very pleased to have achieved the consensus we were seeking with our partners.”
