The Assiniboine Park Zoo is dealing with a stinky situation, and it has nothing to do with the animals under its care.
On Aug. 8, the zoo says city staff alerted them to the presence of sewage in a drain that runs under the zoo. The sewage was coming out of a 300mm land drainage outfall located along Assiniboine Park Drive.
On Friday, Aug. 11, the City of Winnipeg determined that Winston's Ice Cream Shoppe, a small seasonal concession building located in the zoo, was the most likely source.
As soon as the zoo was informed, officials say they immediately ceased operation of the concession. The concession building was built prior to 2010, when the Assiniboine Park Conservancy took over operation of the zoo. And zoo officials say they haven’t done any renovation or construction work in the zoo since 2010 that would have impacted or altered the sewage connection from this building.
It is not known how much untreated sewage may have been released, or how long it may have been flowing.
The zoo says the building isn’t heavily used. The concession is only operated for about three months of the year, and the single washroom is only used by concession staff.
The zoo says it is cooperating fully with the City of Winnipeg and will continue to do so.
