Experience life under the sea at Cresta
CRESTA – Cresta Shopping Centre launched South Africa's first and only mall-based aquarium, affectionately dubbed the CrestAquarium on 4 July.
As the famous Disney song goes, ‘darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter, under the sea’.
This is what Cresta Shopping Centre hoped to showcase to land-locked Johannesburg as they launched South Africa’s first and only mall-based aquarium, affectionately dubbed the CrestAquarium on 4 July.
The project, after thorough planning over the past two years, was finally unveiled in the centre of the food and entertainment court.
Key stakeholders, representatives from Pareto Limited, the Cresta Shopping Centre management team, project partners who played their part in the construction of the fish tank, and other invited guests enjoyed some light refreshments as the ribbon to the new attraction was cut.
Chairman of the Pareto board Saul Gumede said, “This aquarium is truly the first of its kind in South Africa. It has been coming for quite some time and it has been in our vision since we first redeveloped the shopping mall. The local community really pressurised us to get this project done so that they could experience this vision, and we are proud to be launching it today.
“The tank will help people, especially youngsters who have only seen fish on TV or in books, learn about and see fish close up, free of charge.”
The aquarium introduces visitors to over 30 species of fish, the tank’s glass is almost 60mm thick, contains about 75 000 litres of salt water and 2 500kg of salt mixed into the water to get the right balance for the marine life.
The centre partnered with the best in the business in aquarium construction and with expert marine consultants to ensure the project and construction was a detailed and flawless success, as well as ensuring the safety and happiness of the ocean life introduced. The certified and regulated aquaria specialists ensure the selected ocean fish are cared for 24/7. Each fish was hand-selected according to compatibility and natural distribution.
General manager of Cresta Shopping Centre Virginia Bester said, “As a centre, we pride ourselves in bringing innovative and all-encompassing shopping experiences to our shoppers and tenants. The CrestAquarium gives us the opportunity to provide more entertainment and now edutainment, under one roof.
“The CrestAquarium was envisioned to entertain, educate and inspire behaviour change by showing families that live inland the magic of life under water and how we can work to protect it. Our vision was to give the community the opportunity to form a connection with an otherwise distant world, so they can benefit from its beauty and learn how to help protect it.”
The interactive and educational displays around the tank will allow children and families to touch, discover, explore and learn.
With highly sophisticated design and a detailed planning process, the aquarium feature is a pivotal feature of the successful two-year expansion and modernisation project, which has seen Cresta’s reintroduction as an iconic retail and entertainment precinct.
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