Woman Raises Funds to Repair Mosaic at Red River Zoo

The new mural is expected to be completed in two years

FARGO, N.D. — If you’ve been to the Red River Zoo, you might remember seeing a mosaic of different animals.

The mural is being repaired but money is still needed to fix it.

Magda Szeitz was tasked with creating a mural for the zoo six years ago highlighting specific animals and their native habitats.

“The mosaic was a beautiful piece we installed a few years ago that told the past, the present, and the future of the zoo. It really is something people in the community love and love to see,” Sally Jacobson, executive director of the zoo, said.

After years of wear and tear from the weather, the wall is no longer a solid surface.

“We talked about removing it, time went on, and fall came around, we basically decided, ‘okay, it has to be done now,'” Szeitz said.

Szeitz created a GoFundMe to raise money for the repairs, but that’s separate from the zoo’s own fundraising for general operations.

“It is something we want to do in the future because art is such an important part of our community and our zoo, it’s just not where our fundraising efforts are at this time,” Jacobson said.

Szeitz’s fundraiser has already raised $200. She hopes to raise $15,000.

Funds will go towards a new wall and cleaning and repairing the glass.

“It’s going to be a matter of cleaning and preserving what I can, and recutting and replacing what can’t be salvaged,” Szeitz said.

Visitors have also been able to leave their own mark on the mosaic over the years and put their own pieces in.

“That memory and connection of coming there time and again was really strong for them so they seemed very happy with the idea I was trying to salvage what I could,” Szeitz said.

“It tells the story of not only our zoo, but of our community. It really does make us unique. All of our art within our zoo makes us a unique space,” Jacobson said.

The new mural is expected to be completed in two years.

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