Journal & Topics Media Group

Groat Won’t Bring Panda To Elk Grove Village

Petitions, Threatened Protests Force Cancellation; Money Raised To Secure Bear To Be Donated To Dist. 59 Education Foundation

Collection bottles out at an August 2018 Elk Grove Farmers Market as part of Jack Groat’s push to bring a panda to Elk Grove Village. (Journal photo)

Efforts to bring a live panda bear to Elk Grove Village ended Thursday (June 6).

Elk Grove Village resident Jack Groat said he is ending his efforts to bring a panda to Elk Grove Village, amid mounting community pushback. Groat is the founder of Little Boots Rodeo and runs the Elk Grove Farmers Market.

Groat was working to raise $150,000 to bring the panda to the village and had secured permission to use the village’s Rotary Green, where Rotary Fest is held near Elk Grove High School, Queen of the Rosary Catholic Church and Rainbow Falls Water Park, in late summer or early fall.

Groat said he was approached by “two young girls” opposed to his plans to bring a panda to the village at the Saturday, June 1 Elk Grove Farmers Market, telling Groat they gained 200 signatures on a petition opposing. Fearing protests at the farmers market, Groat said he decided not to move forward.

Jack Groat (left), who runs the Elk Grove Farmers Market, talks with attendees of the first summer market of the season Saturday, June 1 at his free coffee area where he was also collecting donations in a large clear bottle (center) to raise $150,000 to bring a panda to the village, plans which have since been canceled. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)

“This has turned into a nightmare,” Groat said. “I’m really disappointed.”

As of early Thursday afternoon, a seperate online petition on the website Change.org opposing bringing the panda to the village grew by more than 425 in the span of a day. Local Facebook pages have also been awash in comments critical of Groat’s plans.

Groat said bringing the panda to the village for people to see would be a unique opportunity for kids and adults alike.

A petition was started by Elk Grove Village resident Rachel Carrell, who said she began her Change.org petition addressing Groat and Elk Grove Village trustees Wednesday, June 6.

“Pandas are native to China, and are currently considered a vulnerable species. They have no place in a circus, rodeo, or photo event…and the people of Elk Grove are adamant in declaring their stance on this issue,” part of Carrell’s petition statement read. “We do not support the exploitation of animals. We do not want a panda in Elk Grove Village.”

The petition statement also mentioned other animals including alligators, camels and ducks and pigs for racing.

In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the status of the Giant panda, native to China, from endangered to vulnerable, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

“I’m overwhelmed, in a great way, by the response,” Carrell told the Journal.

Groat has been working to raise $150,000 to secure the panda since he announced plans last year to bring the panda to this year’s Little Boots Rodeo. Groat, however, recently announced the rodeo, planned for later this month, would be canceled.

Groat said the several thousand dollars raised so far to secure the panda would be donated to the Elk Grove Township School Dist. 59 Education Foundation.

Little Boots Rodeo has been held on the grounds of Prince of Peace United Methodist Church for the last decade, with the exception of last year when the event did not take place.

Negotiations between Groat and the church for an agreement to hold the 2019 Little Boots Rodeo on church grounds was nearly derailed by objections, similar to those expressed by Carrell to plans for the panda.

Johnson said Groat came to him and village trustees at a Coffee With the Board event in May, asking to use Rotary Green for the panda, something Johnson said he has heard Groat talk about for years.

Johnson said he understood the $150,000 would be used by the Chinese government to help protect pandas in the wild. Johnson said Groat’s request to use Rotary Green was granted with the conditions, including that it be free to the public. “This can’t be a money maker (for Groat),” Johnson said.

Johnson said the village has not seen any petitions or received any comments from residents on Groat’s plans for the panda.

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