Toronto Zoo might get a new monorail

The Monorail at the Toronto Zoo was a local landmark until it closed back 1994 after a couple of unfortunate accidents earlier in the decade. For the past 22 years, the zoo's been train-less, though that could all change soon.

The Toronto Zoo Board received an unsolicited proposal from a company called Magnovate Transportation Inc., which wants to build a magnetic levitation (maglev) train along the old monorail route.

This project would cost about $25 million, but according to a Toronto Zoo staff report (PDF), Magnovate would cover the cost and there'd be no financial impact on the city. The maglev train, however, has the potential to increase much-needed revenue for the zoo,

The Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo will discuss this on Thursday, April 7. In order to ensure fairness, the city will likely send out a request for proposals via a formal "Swiss Challenge" process if it decides to move forward.

Is a new monorail a good idea? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Robert Taylor.