By Eva Levin The old Franklin Park Zoo bear dens are getting an upgrade. And no, bears (probably) won’t be involved. The Boston Parks Commission voted unanimously on Monday to return the dens to the Boston Parks Department after years of management by Zoo New England, Mayor Michelle Wu’s office said in a statement .
Wu called Franklin Park the “crown jewel of green space in Boston,” and reiterated her commitment to preserving the area. “The transfer of the Bear Dens to the City is an opportunity to invest in a corner of the park with great potential,” Wu said. “We look forward to working with community to further carry out the Franklin Park Action Plan at the Bear Dens and throughout this historic park.
” A big piece of Franklin Park’s history, the old bear dens used to house black bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears as part of the Zoo’s older exhibits. The city said the dens were originally built over 100 years ago, between 1911 and 1912. While the dens have been defunct since 1970 and the bears moved to the modern Franklin Park Zoo nearby, the statement said the dens “remain a unique architectural feature of the park.
” “The site has the potential to be a beautiful landscape feature honoring an important part of the park’s history, dating to 1912 – as identified in the bas relief of two bears encircling the city seal,” Franklin Park Coalition Board President Rickie Thompson said. The Franklin Park Action Plan , released by the Boston Parks an.
