CLEARWATER, Fla — Clearwater Marine Aquarium is working to rebound from a tough stretch. There was major damage to the building from the two hurricanes.
Then, more than 50 employees were furloughed. But now as repairs continue a new exhibit is opening.
The Kids Check-Up Exhibit is interactive and designed to teach children and families about taking care of their health just as aquarium staff take care of the marine animals.
Those animals came through two hurricanes unscathed, but the aquarium did not.
It suffered $2.5 million in damages.
Veterinarian Shelly Marquardt, a vice president at CMA was here when it all happened.
“It was a little traumatic. I’m not going to lie. It’s someplace that you put your heart and soul into. You’ve invested time, effort, everything. It’s hard to see you hard earned time in that manor,” she said.
Some damage around the hospital area was fixed.
But there is more work to be done, and the manatee rehabilitation center is still closed.
“We are still missing a lot of our cabinets in surgery. We are missing some of our medical equipment. But the community has been incredibly supportive coming out helping us, donating things. It’s hard,” said Marquardt.
CEO Joe Handy says they are working with FEMA and the Small Business Administration to get funding to help make repairs, and he predicts a comeback in 2025.
“Every day we get a little closer to being 100%. What we experienced in 2024 was somewhat of a perfect storm in a sense that the economy was struggling. It was lack of consumer confidence in the economy, high interest rates, inflation. So, all of that aided in the softness of our attendance. And then on the tail end we had the storms. The hurricanes really took us out,” Handy said.
CMA was riding a wave of momentum until the unexpected death of Winter The Dolphin in 2021.
Attendance was already down.
But the hope is the coming Spring and Summer seasons will jump-start the aquarium back to where it wants to be, and furloughed employees will be brought back to work.
“We are going to come back. and We are going to come back stronger,” said Marquardt.
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