Box 13, Folder 11, Document 77

Box 13, Folder 11, Document 77

Office of General Manager

Atlanta, Georgia 30303



September 18, 1967

JACK C. DELIUS
GENERAL MANAGER

Honorable Ivan Allen, Jr.
Mayor

City of Atlanta

City Hall

Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Dear Mr. Allen:

CITY OF ATLANTA

DEPARTMENT of PARKS



After many months of very hard work on the part of the
staff at the Reptile House and thanks to the cooperation and
assistance of Ray Nixon's welder, and Fred Shepherd and Addy
Chan of the Building Inspector, the Reptile House neared
completion and ready for operation last week. We made a
decision Saturday that if we kept waiting we never would
get the place open and so we decided that come Sunday morning,
September 17, we would open to the public. The only publicity
we were able to get at this late date was a few news spots on
WSB Radio Sunday morning. At 11:00 we opened the front doors
and we began counting using hand counters of all adults and
young people who came in. Children under the age of twelve
were not counted. From 11:00 through 5:45, we had counted
13,057 and given out all of our 10,000 pamphlets on the
building. We received nothing but very favorable comments from
the visitors and the only fly in the ointment was the fact that
the air conditioning system didn't seem capable of keeping the
building reasonably cool with this large number of people inside.
I know that you are as relieved as the undersigned in seeing

this facility finally open to the public.

Sincerely,




ack C. Delius
eneral Manager of

Parks and Recreation
JCD:1g

CC: All members of the Aldermanic Parks Committee