With the return of crowds to public spaces in the summer of 2022, the Toronto Zoo looked to upgrade their digital signage network to enhance both the visitor and operator experience. Capital Networks was chosen to overhaul the existing displays and equipment which had fallen into disrepair, using the Audience™ CMS to control an initial deployment powered by 39 media players throughout the venue.
The new public-facing displays incorporate a variety of visitor information and promotional content spread throughout various areas of the zoo including the front entrance, courtyard and multiple pavilions within the grounds.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, capacity-counter screens at building entrances were updated to multi-zone displays to show automated, current counts of the number of people within each of the pavilions. As restrictions continued to ease throughout the summer, and capacity-counters no longer required, the efficiency of the Audience™ CMS allowed the counters to be easily replaced with non-COVID related content promoting pavilion-specific and venue-wide information to visitors.
With a multitude of diverse venues and outdoor spaces, the use of keyword plugins allowed Toronto Zoo staff to easily distribute and schedule a combination of text, graphical and video content to specific screens throughout the venue, from one centralized source, based on the geographic location and purpose of the displays.
With the success of their initial Audience™ digital signage deployment, the Toronto Zoo is already in the early stages of expanding their network to include an inward-facing employee communications network for the 2023 season, powered by the same Audience™ platform.
About the Toronto Zoo
Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Toronto Zoo is a corporation owned by the municipal government of Toronto. Encompassing 287 hectares (710 acres) the Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada. It is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. It also has recreational areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre, and Splash Island.