WEEKLY POLL

Very cool!
Polar bear cubs making a big splash at the Toledo Zoo

By Tammy Walro
Maumee Bay Press Editor

They’re so cute, it’s almost un-bearable.

In late November 2006, three polar bear cubs were born to Crystal and Nan at the Toledo Zoo. They were three of only four cubs born in North American zoos in 2006. Now, after months of animal care staff monitoring their progress, the cubs are meeting their adoring public in the zoo’s Arctic Encounter.

Because polar bear cubs stay in a family group consisting of a mother and her young cubs in the wild, visitors will not be able to see all three cubs in the Arctic Encounter at the same time. Current plans right now call for one group to be on exhibit from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the second group going on exhibit from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Those plans may change depending on the bears’ behavior.

The cubs, two females born to Crystal and a male born to Nan, represent an important stride in the preservation of polar bears, whose populations in the wild are declining rapidly due to warming Arctic climates. All three cubs are adapting very well to the Arctic Encounter exhibit, and both Crystal and Nan have demonstrated excellent maternal behavior. The fact that both Crystal and Nan are first-time mothers makes their motherly skills all the more remarkable.

Butterflies, too!

Butterflies!, a new exhibit at the zoo, and the Children’s Zoo will both open May 26.

Featuring a wide array of fanciful flyers that include some species in danger of extinction, the butterfly exhibit presents the life cycle and feeding habits of the winged wonders.

While butterflies are free to fly around the new butterfly house at the zoo, the exhibit costs an additional $2 per adult and $1 each for children ages 2-11 and seniors age 60 and above beyond normal zoo admission. Besides the winged wonders, visitors to the Toledo Zoo can also find giraffe, elephants, polar bears, hippos and more. The zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. now through Labor Day.

The cost is $10 for adults, $7 for children ages 2-11 and seniors ages 60 and up. Parking is $5 per vehicle in lots off the Anthony Wayne Trail or Broadway, but free in the Trail lot with zoo membership card. For more info, call 419-385-3721 or visit www.toledozoo.org.

In addition, the zoo will again host its annual summer concert season at its open-air amphitheater. Concerts for the 2007 season begin at 7:30 p.m. and include Steely Dan June 5, The Moody Blues July 24, and Bryan Adams and George Thorogood &The Destroyers Aug. 7. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster locations, charge by phone at 419-474-1333, online at www.livenation.com, or at the zoo box office the night of the event.

Toledo Museum

The Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion has been turning heads for more than a half-year now. Located across Monroe Street from the main museum in Toledo, the $30 million, 76,000-square-foot pavilion that opened last August is home to the museum’s collection of approximately 7,000 glass works, some of which date back to ancient times.

Through July 8, the museum will host the 89 th annual Toledo Area Artists Exhibition featuring works of selected artists from northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan in glass, wood, ceramic, water color and more. On June 16, join the museum and its Committee for Cultural Diversity as they again celebrate the Juneteenth holiday and the African American experience with a great day of fun, food, music, dance, art, storytelling, and more. All activities, parking, and admission to the museum are free.

What is Juneteenth? President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect Jan. 1, 1863, freeing all enslaved persons in the Confederate States. It wasn’t until two years later on June 19, 1865 that more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas heard the news from General Gordon Granger that they could call themselves free. The celebrations that followed the reading of the proclamation in Texas began a tradition that has lasted more than 130 years, and today is celebrated in cities across America.

From June 29 through Sept. 9, the museum will present a collection of Andy Warhol’s silkscreen prints on everything from celebrities to household goods. The prints in “Andy Warhol’s Dream American” were made from the 1960s through the 1980s and are on loan to the museum from the collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation.

The Toledo Museum of Art is located at 2445 Monroe St. at Scottwood Avenue, just off I- 75 in Toledo. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Fridays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and will be closed on Independence Day.

Admission to the museum and most exhibits is free, though special exhibitions or events may require a ticket be purchased. For more info, call 419-255-8000 or 1-800-644-6862, or visit www.toledomuseum.org.

Untamed thrills

Want a thrill ride that gives you a sense of weightlessness eight times, spins you upside down on a one-of-a-kind horseshoe, takes you to the top of a 105-foot hill and then drops you at a 95-degrees angle to within five feet of the ground?

And then, just when you think it’s all over and the ride slows to abut 5 mph, special motors launch you at speeds of up to 70 mph through a 400-foot tunnel onto more of the total 4,450-foot-long ride sprawled over 5 acres? All this in two minutes and 30 seconds.

Maverick, the new $21 million roller coaster located in the Frontiertown area at Cedar Point makes 17 coasters for the park - more than any other amusement park in the world.

The park is now open daily through Labor Day. For more info about hours and ticket prices for 2007 at Cedar Point, as well as Soak City water park and the Challenge Park entertainment complex, call 419-627-2350 or visit www.cedarpoint.com.

Movies under the stars

A ticket to see a movie at one of those giant metro complexes? $10 or more. Renting two movie DVDs, assuming you can find what you want at the video store on a weeks? Roughly $8 plus tax.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative, first-run movies and a chance at a piece of nostalgia, drive over to the Sundance Kid Drive-In at 4500 Navarre Ave. in Oregon. Tickets for 2007 are $7.50 per adult and $3 each for children 5-12. (Children ages 4 and under are free.). For more info on current showings or other info, call 419-691-9668.

Wild things from A to Z

Wild animals from A(lpacas) to Z(ebras) roam free on more than 100 acres at the African Safari Wildlife Park, located at 267 Lightner Rd. off SR 2 just outside Port Clinton.

Visitors can drive through part of the preserve and feed the animals from their vehicles with the free bucket of food provided with admission. You can visit the drive-thru as many times as you like and additional buckets of food may be purchased. Then, walk-through Safari Junction where you can see educational programs, watch pig races, and ride a camel or a pony at no additional charge (weight and height restrictions apply; pony ride is between Memorial Day and Labor Day.)

Full park operations are in effect for the 2007 season from May 26 through Sept. 3 (Labor Day). Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., rain or shine, with the last vehicle admitted at 5 p.m.

Admission prices during the summer season are $16.95 per person for those ages 7 and up and $10.95 for children ages 3-6. Seniors age 62 years and older and military personnel get $3 off the regular admission price (with ID).

Food concessions are available or you can pack a picnic lunch. For more info, call 1-800-521-2660 or visit www.africansafariwildlifepark.com.

Think BIG

COSI Toledo will host its 8th annual Science of Big Machines event, sponsored by MELCO and the Ohio Operating Engineers, from June 10-17 at the hands-on science museum off Summit Street and Adams Street in downtown Toledo.

The museum is also hosting a new exhibit called “Hubble’s Vision,” designed to allow visitors to explore the stars, galaxies and universe through images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The device is named after Edwin Powell Hubble, who has Toledo area ties.

In addition to these special exhibits, COSI Toledo has a variety of standing exhibits, including the popular High Wire Cycle, Roller Coaster Simulator, Gravity Room, Bubbles and more.

COSI Toledo is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed Mondays. For ticket prices or info about special events, call 419-244-2674 (COSI) or visit www.cositoledo.org.

Gardens fit to be Eden

Two major public gardens operate in the Maumee Bay region:

The Schedel Arboretum and Gardens, located at 19255 W. Portage River South Rd.,
Elmore is an estate that belonged to German immigrant Joseph Schedel and his wife, Marie, who moved into the Victorian home in 1934 and lovingly began developing the lush grounds into an arboretum and gardens. The home, built circa 1888, houses treasures from the Schedels’ extensive travels, including a Hereke silk prayer rug, antique Persian rugs, teak furniture and Japanese silk embroideries.

Enjoy the brilliance offered by nearly 20,000 annuals while strolling through a variety of gardens including Japanese, rose, water, iris, perennial, etc. See nearly 1,000 different species, many rare and unusual.

The facility is open daily -- except Mondays – now through October for self-guided tours. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Guided tours, which include a walk through the mansion, are available by appointment. For info, call 419-862-3182 or visit www.schedel-gardens.org.

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The world’s largest collection of lithopanes – a three-dimensional porcelain art casting that shows off its colors when illuminated – can be found at the Toledo Botanical Garden, located at 5403 Elmer Dr. off Holland-Sylvania Road in Toledo.

The garden is host to several major events each year, including the Crosby Festival of the Arts – one of Ohio’s largest outdoor juried art shows. The 42nd annual show in 2007 will be held June 23 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and June 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The facility also hosts Jazz in the Garden July 5, 12, 19, 26 and Aug. 2, 9, and 16.

The garden is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The lithopanes may be viewed Saturday and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. from May to October. For more info, call 419-936-2986 or visit www.toledogarden.org.

For the birds?

Ohio offers some of the best birding sites in the country, particularly along the Lake Erie shoreline. Ohio state parks, nature preserves, forests and wildlife areas are spectacular locations to view many species of birds including bald eagles, owls, waterfowl and shorebirds.

Prime birdwatching locations for year-round enjoyment

Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area and its neighboring Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Lucas and Ottawa counties are recognized among the nation’s premier birding destinations. They offer thousands of acres along the western Lake Erie shoreline, and are ideal for viewing the spring migration activities of warblers, tanagers, orioles and grosbeaks. A handicap-accessible boardwalk, the Magee Marsh Bird Trail, winds through marshlands reminiscent of what was once the Great Black Swamp. Birders gather and compare sightings at the Sportsmen’s Migratory Bird Center. Visit www.dnr.ohio.gov/wildlife/resources/wbirds/birding0404.htm for info.

Kelleys Island, located just north of Sandusky (east of Toledo), attracts birds from as far north as the Arctic Circle and serves as one of the steppingstones for birds migrating north across Lake Erie to Point Pelee, Canada. A 20-minute ferry ride north across Lake Erie from Marblehead, Ohio, Kelleys Island offers a diverse habitat and 8,000 acres for birders. The island also offers rocky shorelines, pristine beaches, lush forests, fragrant vineyards and historical homes, plus a downtown that offers shopping and entertainment. For more info, visit www.kelleysislandnature.com or contact the Kelleys Island Chamber of Commerce at 419-746-2360.

The Lake Erie Wing Watch region, located between Oak Harbor and Lorain, is home to more than 300 bird species, including majestic bald eagles, colorful migratory warblers and great blue herons. For more information visit www.lakeeriewingwatch.com or call the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau at 800-441-1271.

East Harbor State Park in Ottawa County (north of Sandusky) with its scenic wetlands is sure to offer nature enthusiasts an abundance of wildlife to view including ducks, geese, gulls, terns and other migratory waterfowl. For details visit www.dnr.ohio.gov/parks/parks/eastharbor.htm.

Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County offers a spectacular two-mile elevated boardwalk through prime birding habitat including swamplands and marsh, as well as an observation tower. The park’s scenic meadows, woods and marshes are teeming with wildlife. Visit www.coastalohio.com for photos and additional information on the park and its surrounding area.

General information on Ohio birds can be found by visiting the Ohio Ornithological Society’s Web site at www.ohiobirds.org.

While birding in Ohio, visitors will find a number of overnight accommodations to choose from, including the great state park lodges, area bed and breakfasts for families and couples, inns, cabins and hotels. For more information about Ohio lodging, dining, shopping, and more, visit www.DiscoverOhio.com. Ohio’s comprehensive travel-planning Web site or call 1-800-BUCKEYE.

Hungry?

There are many popular dining places in the Maumee Bay region, too numerous, in fact to mention them all. You can never go wrong with fresh Lake Erie perch and walleye. One of Toledo’s best ethnic restaurants with a national reputation, Tony Packo’s, has opened a location next to Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo. Called Packo’s by the Park, it is just across the street from the ball yard.

Of course, the local restaurant still has its flagship restaurant at Front and Consaul streets in the Hungarian neighborhood of Birmingham in East Toledo. While you’re waiting for your famous Packo’s dogs with the special sauce, take a look around.

Over the years, hundreds of famous celebrities and VIPs have visited Packo’s and participated in the tradition of signing a hot dog “bun,” which is then mounted on a special plaque on the wall. Because the real bread buns deteriorated over the years, Packo’s uses a Styrofoam-like bun now to preserve the signatures of their famous clientele.

Actor Burt Reynolds first came up with the idea of signing a hot dog bun during a stop there in 1972. After performing in “The Rainmaker” in Toledo, Nancy Horvath Packo invited him over to the Consaul Street location for some food in a letter she left at his hotel. Two nights later, he showed up and began the tradition.

The restaurant’s biggest break came when Toledo native Jamie Farr mentioned the restaurant on the hit TV show M*A*S*H and ordered takeout food from there on an episode of the popular comedy. The rest, as they say, is history. For info, call 419-691-6054.

Religious points of interest

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Genoa is constructed of “tufa,” a fossilized vegetation found in the “blue hole” at Castilia, O. A ground-level statue of a praying Saint Bernadette Souberious looks up admiringly at Our Lady.

The idea for the grotto in Genoa resulted from Archbishop Karl Alter’s visit to the Lourdes Grotto in France in 1932. While at the shrine, the Archbishop promised the Blessed Mother to make Lourdes even better known by constructing a replica of the original Grotto in his own diocese. In 1934, the Bishop chose Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Genoa as the site for the shrine. It was completed and dedicated Sept. 8, 1934 -- the birthday anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The grounds include a small altar, an adjoining bell tower of tufa, arches and outdoor Stations of the Cross in hand-carved Italian bronze. Our Lady of Lourdes is located at 204 S. Main St. Tour groups are welcome. For info: 419-855-8501.

Sorrowful Mother Shrine, located at 4106 SR 269 in Bellevue, is the oldest place of pilgrimage dedicated to Mary in the Midwest. The grounds hold 40 points of interest including grottos, Sorrowful Mother Chapel, Pieta Outdoor Chapel, plus the 14 Stations of the Cross. Public and private pilgrimages are made year round. Cafeteria, picnic area and gift shop available. .

Open dawn to dusk. Masses are held at 11 a.m. weekdays, Saturdays at 4 p.m., and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m. A special ethnic Sunday celebration is held at noon. Confessions available. For info, call 419-483-3435 or visit www.sorrowfulmothershrine.com.

Our Lady of Toledo Shrine, 655 S. Coy Rd., Oregon. The garden and well are open during daylight hours. Chapel is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A daily rosary and prayer service are held at 2 p.m. in the chapel. For more info on this and other shrine activities, call 419-697-7742 or 1-888-791-0990 or visit www.protect-life.org.

The Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd. Toledo, is the only Plateresque (architectural style of 16th century Spain) cathedral in the world. It features layers of paintings and frescos of saints and angels reaching to the ceiling, a magnificent stained glass rose window and mosaic altars. The cathedral, which is the seat of the Catholic Church for the Diocese of Toledo, has ornate statues and carvings on both the inside and out. For more info, call 419-244-9575.

A waterfront view

A few miles away at International Park in East Toledo is The Docks restaurant complex, which features a combination of several restaurants, including Cousino’s Navy Bistro, Eileen’s Wine Bar, Tango’s Mexican Cantina, Zia’s Italian, Real Seafood and Dockside Grille. All offer a spectacular view of the Maumee River and the downtown skyline.

Outside, the riverwalk currently extends from a boat basin near the entrance of International Park to the S.S. Willis B. Boyer Museum Ship, a restored Great Lakes freighter open for public tours. Formerly known as the Col. James M. Schoonmaker, the Boyer was the largest and most well endowed ship of its time when it was built in 1911. The vessel now operates as a floating museum, and is open May 1 through Oct. 31 seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Info: www.willisbboyer.org or 419-936-3070.

Visitors and area residents like to take a cruise along the Maumee on the Sandpiper Canal Boat, a replica of a flat-bottomed canal boat that offers lunch and dinner cruises, private charters and special event cruises. The 100-passenger Sandpiper operates from May through October, departing from its dock at the foot of Jefferson Street in Promenade Park on the downtown side of the river. Special cruises, including Sunset & City Lights, Discover the River, Fall Color and Boo cruises are available. For cruise times, fares, and info, call 419-537-1212 or visit www.sandpiperboat.com

Area parks

When nature calls, visitors to the region can enjoy the lakeside experience and the great outdoors with one of several experiences.

The nine Toledo Area Metroparks, including Pearson Metropark on Lallendorf Road, just north of Navarre Avenue (SR 2) in Oregon, offer a variety of activities and programs for families

Pearson is the only Metropark east of the Maumee River and offers a Nature Discovery Center, educational programs at Macomber Lodge, walking and cross-country skiing trails, picnic grounds, pedal boats, ball diamonds, picnic areas, sledding, play areas and more.

Most importantly, however, the park has a large swamp forest area that is one of the last remaining stands of the Great Black Swamp that once covered most of Northwest Ohio. For info, call Toledo Area Metroparks, at 419-407-9700.

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The Wood County Park District offers a number of parks throughout the area, including:

Cedar Creeks Preserve, a 42-acre tract located east of Walbridge where Woodville Road (SR 51) crosses Walbridge Road. The entrance is at the “T” where Indian Estates is located. The preserve is an excellent example of the former Black Swamp that once covered a large portion of Northwest Ohio. In keeping with the idea of a nature preserve, development of the parcel has been limited to low-impact features, preserving the natural setting of the acreage. Facilities include: hiking trails, foot bridge, picnic tables, restrooms and an information kiosk.

William Henry Harrison Park, a 22-acre park located at 644 Bierley Ave. ( Pemberville Road), just south of Pemberville, features a large multi-purpose playfield, children’s playground, paved circular drive for rollerblading, hiking trails, Portage River fishing and more. Visit www.woodcountyparkdistrict.org or call 800-321-1897for info.

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A new playground has been dedicated for the 2007 season at White Star Park, located south of Gibsonburg on SR 300. The old wooden playground equipment was replaced with new stuff made of recycled plastic and aluminum and was purchased through a grant from the Ottawa Sandusky Seneca Solid Waste District and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

White Star Park also offers picnic tables, grills, well water, restrooms, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, playfield, nature trails, mountain bike trails, boat ramp, shelters, day camp area, accessible fishing platform, scuba diving, camping.

White Star Quarry is 15 acres of water with a depth of 40 feet and submerged items on the floor. Depth of tunnel near scuba access is 80 feet. The quarry is available for non-power boating, fishing. Vessels must have a valid Ohio boat license. Ohio fishing laws apply. Common fish caught: bluegill, bullhead, catfish, bass, trout, yellow perch, pike. Night fishing allowed on Friday nights from Memorial Day to end of Sept. Must be out of the park by midnight.

Scuba Diving is permitted April 1- Dec. 31 at a cost of $10 per day per diver. Season passes are available at $100 for county residents and $120 for non-residents. Night dives available on Saturday nights, Memorial Day through end of Sept. and must be arranged through scuba concessions: Quarry Divers, Inc. 419-637-7911. Submerged items on quarry floor. Tunnel is off limits.

White Star Swim Beach will be open for the 2007 season on May 26-28, June 2-3, June 9-Aug. 19, Aug. 25-26, Sept. 1-3, weather permitting. The beach is closed on Wednesdays (except July 4). Hours are noon until 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Daily rates are 2 years and under free, ages 3-12 are $2, and ages 13 and up are $3 per day. The beach house includes changing rooms and concession stand. Swim area depth is from 0 to 15 feet.

White Star Campground is across from the park’s main entrance. Primitive sites are $10 per site per night. Sites with water hook-up & electric hook-up are $20 per site, per night. Dump station is $5/dump. Campground is open April 1 through Dec. 31 and each site includes a table and fire ring. Youth groups are free at primitive sites with two weeks notice.

For more information about White Star Park or other parks in the Sandusky County Park District, call 419-334-4495 or 1-888-200-5577.

Carousel history

The artistry of carousel woodcarver Daniel Muller will be on display at a special exhibit at the Merry-Go-Round Museum, located in the former U.S. Post Office on US 6 at 301 Jackson St. at Washington Streets near the city square in Sandusky.

The museum celebrates the history of carousels, the carvers who made the intricate horses and other animals, and enthusiasts who enjoy them. The stone museum, which has a half-rotunda at the front and is listed with the National Register of Historic Places, features on permanent exhibit a 1939 Allen Herschell.

The museum is open year-round. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. For more info, call 419-626-6111 or visit www.merrygoroundmuseum.org.

The “caviest” cave

Explore “The Caviest Cave in the U.S.A” - Seneca Caverns, located off SR 269 about four miles south of Bellevue, on a one-hour guided tour that takes you 110 feet underground through seven levels or rooms – the largest 250 feet in length. View “Ole Mist’ry River,” pan for gemstones, shop at Hollowrock Gifts, picnic in the shade.

Open daily Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday only in May,

September to mid-Oct. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For ticket prices or other info, call 419-483-6711 or email senecacaverns@hmcltd.net.

A volcano, a waterfall and dinosaurs – oh, my!

Enter through a volcano with a 35-foot waterfall. Once inside Mystery Hill and Prehistoric Forest, a 10-acre attraction located along SR 163 in Marblehead, visitors will find a replica T-Rex and more than a dozen life-sized dinosaurs.

There is also a reptile house, an exotic animal house, a barn filled with “gravity-defying” water and angled floors, an archaeological dig for fossils, an arcade, miniature golf course, playground, and gift shop.

The park is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day May through Labor Day weekend and weekends only May and September. For more info, call 419-798-5230 or visit www.mysteryhill.com.