They can call us crazy if we fail; they can call us brilliant if we succeed

CITIZENS TO PRESERVE OVERTON PARK
447 N. Avalon • Memphis, TN 38112

May 12, 2008

Mr. James Jalenak
Mr. Charles Brady
Memphis Zoo
2000 Prentiss Place
Memphis, TN 38112

Dear Sirs:

Thank you for taking the time to meet with Citizens to Preserve Overton Park on May 2. We appreciate your attention to our concerns, and wanted to give you a written record of the proposal we have issued to the Memphis Zoo.

We are asking the Memphis Zoo to agree to the permanent removal of the fence that currently encloses 17 acres of old-growth forest east of Rainbow Lake.

As you know, this publicly owned land has been fenced and closed to public use for more than a decade. Mr. Brady told us that the Memphis Zoo does not plan to develop this land until ten years from now.

In addition, Mr. Brady has assured us that this land will only be developed as a low impact boardwalk trail with no other structures or exhibits. Mr. Brady stated that the goal of this exhibit would be to improve public access to the old-growth forest of Overton Park.

Given these facts, we believe it would best serve the needs of our community to remove the fence and build a nature trail for free public use. Our group stands ready to help fund and implement such a project.

We make this request on behalf of the old-growth forest of Overton Park and the neighborhoods served by this unique and irreplaceable resource. We hope that your Board of Directors will carefully consider the merits of our proposal and agree to take down the fence.

Yours sincerely,

[CPOP Board - Signatures & Mailing Addresses]