THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 10, 1996 TAG: 9609100306
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROANOKE ISLAND LENGTH: 45 lines
With their future suspended in bureaucratic bog, a birthday bash has been bittersweet for North Carolina's aquariums.
Twenty years old and holding, the three aquariums this year saw none of the millions in expected state funds earmarked for expansion.
But aquarium officials are hopeful the appropriation will be restored in next year's state budget.
``I think . . . this is just a temporary thing,'' said North Carolina Aquarium Director Rhett White. ``We're optimistic. I really think we're going to get the expansion.''
White was on hand for Monday's 20th anniversary celebration at Roanoke Island, where visitors were invited at no charge to enjoy special programs, door prizes, contests and even a birthday cake.
Special programs are scheduled to continue through the week.
Technically, the Outer Banks' facility is older than the state aquariums at Pine Knoll Shores near Atlantic Beach and Fort Fisher near Wilmington - but only by a day. Operated by the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, each aquarium reflects the uniqueness of its coastal locale, White said.
``There's a lot of commonalities between them,'' White said, citing the 30,000- to 35,000-square-foot size, the educational programs, admittance fees, staffing and hours of operation. There are distinct differences, too, he said. Roanoke Island, for instance, emphasizes more of the estuarine environment that surrounds it; Pine Knoll Shores focuses more on inhabitants of its salt water marsh and inlet surroundings and Fort Fisher, which sits right on the beach, reflects more ocean life.
Spurred by the North Carolina Marine Science Council, the $1.5 million construction cost of each facility was funded by a federal grant. This year, aquarium officials at Roanoke Island had expected $10 million as the first of the three facilities to be expanded.
But the General Assembly failed to appropriate the money that would have more than doubled the size of the aquarium.
The state appropriated $1.3 million in 1994, and $1.2 million in 1995 for preliminary design work.
Attendance has fluctuated over the years - with Fort Fisher recently enjoying the most visitation, White said. Since opening their doors 20 years ago, more than 19 million people have toured the aquariums. by CNB