>> ERIC: LAST FRIDAY, THE MINNESOTA ZOO CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING OF THEIR NEW "TREETOP TRAIL," A RE-PURPOSING OF THE MONORAIL TRACK THAT HAD BEEN IDLE FOR A DECADE.

HERE WITH MORE ABOUT THE TRAIL THAT TAKES VISITORS HIGH ABOVE THE ANIMALS, MINNESOTA ZOO DIRECTOR JOHN FRAWLEY.

1978 I CAME DOWN FROM CHANNEL THREE IN DULUTH AND DID THE STORY ON HE OPENING OF THE MINNESOTA ZOO AND THE PERSISTENT COMPLAINT WAS, THESE ARE GREAT ANIMALS BUT THEY'RE HIDING.

DOES THIS ADDRESS THAT?

>> IT SURE DOES.

GLAD TO HAVE IT BACK, BEEN DORMANT FOR TEN YEARS AND A LOT OF MINNESOTANS RODE THIS MONORAIL BUT IN THE EN, PEOPLE WEREN'T USING IT, GOING TOO SLOW, THEY ARE NOT SEEING ANIMALS SO THE TRACK WAS DECOMMISSIONED.

SO THIS TREETOP TRAIL TOOK OFF AND WE WERE ABLE TO REPURPOSE IT AS THE LONGEST TREE TRAIL IN THE WORLD.

ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS, IT'S NOT JUST THE ANIMALS.

WE'RE THE IF I HAVETH LARGEST ZOO IN THE COUNTRY AND A LOT OF THIS TRAIL GEESE THROUGH NATURE AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO MORE THAN ANYTHING IS CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE, THE MIDDLE OF OUR MISSION SO THIS TRAIL IS NOT JUST A GREAT TRAIL FOR SEEING ANIMALS BUT ALSO A WAY FOR LL ABILITIES, PEOPLE OF ALL COMMUNITIES AND ALL AGES TO HAVE A WALK IN THE CANOPY.

>> Cathy: IS THIS PATTERNED AFTER, I CAN'T THINK OF IT, IN NEW YORK CITY?

>> THE HIGH LINE.

WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT.

MY WIFE AND I WENT TO THERE AND WE SAW THE HIGH LINE, WHICH IS A REPURPOSED RAILROAD TRUST TURNED INTO A WALKING TOUR.

CAME BACK, WE HIRED ENGINEERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD DO THIS, IT'S THAT SUBSTRUCTURE STRONG ENOUGH AND THE ENGINEERS WERE LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

AND THEN THE ARCHITECT AND DESIGNERS KICKED IN AND THE PROJECT GOT MOMENTUM, PEOPLE STARTED GETTING REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND I THINK IT WORKED OUT PRETTY GOOD BECAUSE WE'VE HAD OVER 50,000 PEOPLE THIS LAST WEEK.

>> Cathy: REALLY, OH MY GOSH.

>> Eric: WHAT ARE THE EARLY REVIEWS.

>> SPECTACULAR.

I THINK WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WE HEARD THIS FROM A LOT OF THE LISTENING TOURS AND PEOPLE WE TALKED TO, THEY JUST SAID LET IT BE A WALK IN THE WOODS, DON'T TRY TO OVERPRODUCE IT, DON'T MAKE IT TO BE SOMETHING IT'S NOT AND I THINK OUR TEAM AT HE ZOO, WE HIT THAT.

IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL CLASSIC WALK IN THE WOODS.

>> Cathy: AND IT LOOKS EVERYONE AS YOU SAY OF ALL ABILITIES CAN USE THIS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS.

>> IT'S SPECIAL, I'VE DONE THE TRAIL A LOT, THIS IS -- 'M AT THE ZOO A LOT AND WE'RE SEEING ALL KINDS OF COMMUNITIES COMING OUT THAT MAYBE HAD ACCESS PROBLEMS GETTING INTO NATURE AND THEY'RE AIL TO JUST ENJOY IS THIS, NOT JUST THE TRAIL BUT IN THE TREES.

>> Cathy: WHAT WAS THE -- DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH -- BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO RIDICULOUSLY HOT, LOOKS LIKE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SHADE BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOVE THE TREE TOPS.

ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT?

>> THERE IS A NICE BREEZE UP THERE, AND A LOT OF THE -- BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LOT OF THE TRAIL HAS SHADE.

IT GOES RIGHT INTO SOME BEAUTIFUL CANOPY SO PEOPLE ARE ABLE IS TO FIND SHADE FROM TREES ALONG THE TRAIL.

IT'S 1.TWO MILES SO THERE IT IS A LOTS OF TREES.

>> Eric: FUNDING MIX, HOW DID YOU PAY FOR THIS?

>> WEDNESDAY AN AMAZING ONOR THAT STEPPED UP BUT WE ERE ABLE TO GET 11 MILLION OF BONDING FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA BUT OVER 28 MILLION PRIVATELY SO MINNESOTA STEPPED UP.

THEY WANTED THIS TRAIL AND A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS MADE THIS POSSIBLE.

>> Eric: DO YOU STICK PEOPLE WITH A SEPARATE FEE ONCE THEY'RE IN THE ZOO?

>> NO, THIS IS FREE, ONCE YOU GET IN THE ZOO, IT'S PARTS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE MINNESOTA ZOO AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE PROUD OF AT THE ZOO IS ACCESS TO -- YOU DO QUALIFY FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, YOU COME TO THE MINNESOTA ZOO FOR FREE SO IT'S FREE FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEEDS IT TO BE FREE.

>> Cathy: DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BOOST ATTENDANCE POST-COVID?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE A GREAT ZOO AND THE CONNECTION TO THAT IT BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE THAN ZOO, TRYING TO REACH ALL AUDIENCES, ALL COMMUNITIES AND I THINK THIS TRAIL IS SOMETHING EVERYBODY'S INTERESTED IN CHECKING OUT.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR COMING OVER AND TELLING US ABOUT