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ForeBears Traditional Cache

Hidden : 2/21/2013
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The Stanley Park Zoo was a popular attraction for decades but by the 1990’s it became obvious many of the facilities were past their prime. In 1994, the Parks Board planned an extensive zoo modernization project but the city referendum promptly failed. As a result, the zoo began to shutter displays and ship animals off to other zoos. The last exhibit was officially closed in December of 1997 after its oldest remaining resident, a polar bear named Tuk, died at the ripe old age of 36.

Today I am proudly announcing this cache has been upgraded to serve as long-overdue tribute to Tuk and his service to Vancouver residents as well as hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of tourists in his 30+ years in Stanley Park. The cache is no longer a "small", having been upgraded to a regular-sized camo-painted L&L that is large enough to house the Tuk statue. 

I respectfully ask that you do not remove the statue from the cache for anything more than a photo opportunity. I would like Tuk's legacy to carry on. Thanks for your cooperation!

Your journey to GZ will bring you to the bear displays which were considered state-of-the-art when they were built in 1961. After the Hudson's Bay Company donated four polar bears to the zoo in 1962, these displays quickly became the most popular attraction at the zoo. Vancouver schoolchildren were allowed to choose names for Stanley Park's newest residents, and they decided on Nootka, Jubilee II, and Prince & Princess Rupert.

On a daily basis, throngs of tourists would mingle with the locals, everyone jostling for a glimpse of the polar bears diving, swimming, and playing. Often, when the crowds were just too thick, folks would wander over to the display next door where the black bears and brown bears lived. These smaller bears weren’t nearly as popular because they seemed to be asleep most of the time.

In the years after the zoo closure, the bear exhibit area hosted a salmon hatchery demonstration. In 2008, local artists evoked memories of the bears’ heyday by positioning burlap replicas within these forsaken enclosures that Mother Nature is gently trying to reclaim. Based on what I saw during my most recent visit, the Parks Board appears to be making an effort to clean the place up a little. It was about time, too. The facility was looking pretty run down.

You will need to look atop some well-stacked rocks for the cache container. While the actual cache location **HAS BEEN CHANGED** I was unable to get a solid reading of the new coordinates so simply walk about 2 metres NORTH OF THE POSTED COORDINATES to find the cache's new location. Please remember to use some of the abundant debris to rehide the container!
 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[UPDATED March 17/2025]: haqre angvir pnzb oruvaq n "jnyy" bs fznyy fuehof n srj fgrcf sebz n qenva tengr gung'f arne gur ebpx jnyy'f oraq

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)