Avondale Archives – Page 29 of 29

Avondale

Avondale is Cincinnati’s fourth largest neighborhood and home to the nation’s second oldest zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Burnet Avenue runs through the community and serves as headquarters for two of the region’s top hospitals and research centers: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The neighborhood abuts both Xavier University and UC main campuses. The developing Cincinnati Innovation District is anchored by 1819 Innovation Hub on Reading Road, just off of interstate I-71 at the Martin Luther King Dr. exchange.

Zoo’s new solar “canopy” attracting national attention

By Soapbox

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Architecture + Design

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February 22, 2011

The Cincinnati Zoo enhances its "green" reputation by installing a solar canopy system over the parking lot. After a long and dedicated process of zoning, financial, and political issues, the installation will be completed by April. This addition not only helps the Zoo maintain its national reputation as a "green" leader, but it will also educate visitors about green technology."Since we are the greenest zoo in the country, we keep pushing the envelope to maintain this status," Mark Fisher, the Director of Zoo Facilities said. "We are always asking what to do next and it will be hard to top this one."The Zoo collaborated with Milford, Ohio based Melink Corporation, a local leader in energy efficiency and energy renewable solutions, to install and maintain the solar canopy for seven years. At the conclusion of the $1 million contract, the Zoo has the option to buy the project."For the Zoo it's a win-win situation, that's why it is attractive for the Zoo to install it," Fisher said.The solar canopy will utilize 6,400 panels that will cover 800 spots in one of the Zoo's parking lots. Once completed the canopy will provide 20% of the Zoo's energy needs. It will also educate visitors about green technology, using interactive kiosks to show how and why green technology works. "People have the wrong perception that if you don't live in the areas like the West, solar power will not work," Fisher explained. "But this will show that it can work in a city like Cincinnati."Fisher said word is traveling fast with other zoos contacting Cincinnati to learn more about the canopy. "We just want to push the issue. We're using our house power to elevate the issue of using green technology," Fisher said.The project will employ dozens of local workers and provide visitors the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with this one and only unique urban environment project. "Nothing has been done like this in the history of the city and people are already looking for the next project!" Fisher said.Writer: Lisa Ensminger

Scientists study hand movements for ADHD clue

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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February 22, 2011

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center partnered with Baltimore's Kenny Krieger Institute for research on children with ADHD. Research found that children's impulsive hand movements control ability may have insight on brain-based differences of the ADHD children. Different studies showed that ADHD children had twice the amount of unintentional extra movements showing that actions and behavior may be unintentional as well.Read the full story here.

Cincinnati Zoo gets solar canopy parking

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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February 8, 2011

The Cincinnati Zoo will become the largest public accessible parking lot with a solar canopy. The solar canopy will provide 20 percent of the facility's energy needs and will be completed in April. By maintaining its reputation as the greenest zoo in America, all of the major components will be manufactured locally or within the nation.Read the full story here.

Homeless, but not hopeless at the Cincinnati Zoo

By Elissa Yancey

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Diversity

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February 8, 2011

Antonio lingers at the elephant house, taking pictures and marveling at the size - and the smell - of the creatures before him. UC undergraduate Zach Koons laughs as he watches his 10-year-old charge snap photo after photo before the two move on to the Reptile House, where snakes hold the charm for the wide-eyed Bond Hill Academy student. The elephants and snakes have a serious if invisible advantage over Antonio, though. They have permanent night-time addresses. Antonio is homeless. Koon meets with Antonio every week as part of Zoo-Mates, a partnership between Project Connect, the University of Cincinnati's Center for Community Engagement and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. "Zoo-Mates enables UC students to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood," says Koons, 21, who changed his major from Business to Middle Childhood Education as a result of his work with the program. "We can touch the lives of inner-city youth, and they can remind us of what is truly important in life." When it began, Zoo-Mates was a once-a-month program, with UC students meeting their young partners at the zoo, where they toured and talked. Now in its sixth year, Zoo-Mates pairs meet weekly, including regular visits to UC's Clifton campus. The success of the program has exceeded its organizers' expectations, according to Center for Community Engagement Director Kathy Dick. "The a-ha moment for me was when two families decided to keep their children in their home school so that they could continue to be a part of Zoo-Mates," she says. For families without homes, maintaining stability at school is a major challenge that can lead to academic problems for kids. Koons started volunteering because he needed to log community service hours to maintain a scholarship. But that's not why he stays. "Time can be worth more than any amount of money you can spend on someone," he says. For Antonio, any time he can spend away from worry is particularly sweet, even when it's laced with the smell of elephant. Do Good: • Donate: Make a financial contribution to the non-profit Faces without Places, which provides local homeless children with a wide range of services. Specify that you want your donation to support Zoo-Mates. • Cast your vote: Visit True Hero and vote for Zoo-Mates to receive additional funding. • Follow the blog: Find out the latest program activities at the Zoo-Mates' blog.