Thronateeska Center, Flint RiverQuarium come through storm in good shape
Animals are safe, archives unaffected at downtown attractions
By Jim Hendricks
ALBANY — Both the animals and fish at the Flint RiverQuarium and the archives at Thronateeska Heritage Center emerged from the Jan. 2 storms in good shape, the executive director of the organizations said.
Tommy Gregors, whose own neighborhood was hit by the 85 mph winds that toppled trees and snapped power lines Jan. 2, said Wednesday that personnel worked around the clock at the RiverQuarium on Pine Avenue to ensure the animals were safe. None of the structures sustained damage.
“The RiverQuarium was fine because we had generators that kicked in to keep the life support systems operating,” Gregors said.
The generators and life support system had to be monitored throughout the ordeal by personnel at the facility. Power was restored to the facility Thursday morning.
“Fortunately, no employees or staff were impacted (by the storms),” Gregors said. His home escaped tree damage, though some debris fell in his yard. Access to his neighborhood, however, was blocked, and he said he was unable to get back to the downtown museums until Jan. 4.
“Everything was fine,” he said. “Our staff responded.”
Gregors said about 1,500 visitors came to the aquarium Friday, Saturday and Sunday when RiverQuarium officials opened the facility with free admission so storm victims to take breaks from the recovery efforts. “We had a real good response,” he said.
Thronateeska Heritage Center on Roosevelt Avenue also lost power, but Gregors said the facility’s archives section was unaffected. He said the temperature and humidity required for the protection of often fragile documents in the archives remained well within the proper range.
“We’re currently assisting the art museum in getting some of their records dried out,” Gregors said.
Officials with the Albany Museum of Art on Meadowlark Drive have said that their facility was a total loss after the storm compromised the roof. Artwork there has been moved to secure locations, and some pieces have been sent to Chicago for conservation.
Gregors said Thronateeska is also looking to help others out as well.
“We’re just assisting folks as best we can,” he said.
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