By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

"Even on a casual visit to the Honolulu Zoo, it is obvious that improvements are needed. Despite efforts of zoo personnel, several hundred members of the Zoo Hui and others who have 'adopted' animals, too many of the enclosures and exhibits are old, small and stark. And too many are empty."

That was from an editorial that ran in The Honolulu Advertiser in 1983. Here we are, 20 years later, and even on a casual visit to the Honolulu Zoo, it is obvious that improvements are needed.

Last Saturday, there was a special event at the zoo. Balloons and face-painting for the keiki, Lani-Moo, yo-yo competitions, that sort of thing. The place was crawling with people, packed with baby strollers, trampled by little feet in baby sneakers that light up or squeak with each step. All over the zoo, small voices read aloud in careful tones: "This exhibit temporarily closed."

There's a lot of yellow construction tape at the zoo. Lots of weeds growing in empty exhibits. Lots of signs saying oops, sorry, we're working on this one. It's obviously a work in progress. It's the progress that's in doubt. Even Rusti is sitting in a sad, furry heap at the bottom of his cage with a zoo-weary look on his orangutan face.

You can debate what's worse, tourists seeing our zoo in such bad shape, or our kids growing up learning not to expect much. Maybe the worst of all, though, is that for 20 years there's been talk about getting the place in "world class" shape and it hasn't happened yet.

Not that nothing has happened, mind you. Back then, the African Savannah was just a concept, a bold idea to get animals out of confining little cages and into a larger space where they could roam around a bit. Heck, back then, the great debate was over whether to charge admission ($1.25 for adults and 50 cents for kids).

The good news is that at least no one is denying what is obvious. The general consensus within the zoo staff and city administration is yes, something needs to be done. The bad news is that there's no specific SOMETHING to talk about. Mayor Jeremy Harris gave a one-liner in his January State of the City address about looking into privatizing the zoo, but a specific proposal is still pending.

The City Council's committee on parks and economic development this month deferred a resolution that backed the Honolulu Zoo Society (formerly the Zoo Hui) to manage the zoo after a number of zoo employees spoke out against the idea.

Meanwhile, construction signs at the zoo are reminiscent of the signs along Kalaniana'ole Highway, with completion dates so far past due that you just take them for permanent already.

Twenty years and the Honolulu Zoo is still nowhere near "world class." Maybe the state will have better luck with that fabled "world class" aquarium.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.