Charles Paddock Zoo unveils new name, becomes Central Coast Zoo
Unveiling & Sparkling apple cider toast! (L-R): Council Member Seth Peak, Council Member Suan Funk, Mayor Pro Tem Mark Dariz, Mayor Charles Bourbeau, & Zoo Director Cynthia Stringfield.
Zoo’s entrance area will be named Charles Paddock Plaza to honor its founder, Charles Paddock
– The Charles Paddock Zoo, in partnership with the city of Atascadero, announced its new name, the Central Coast Zoo, during the 22nd Annual Ice Cream Zoofari event on June 7. The renaming also coincided with the zoo’s 70th birthday.
The rebranding effort, created in collaboration with TJA Advertising Agency, involved input from the city council, city staff, the Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo, local tourism agencies and community members. The name Central Coast Zoo emerged as the favorite to highlight the zoo’s regional identity.
Emma Rhoads, with TJA Advertising, is the designer of the new Activity Book.
The updated logo retains the oak tree, symbolizing the zoo’s location and roots in the community. It incorporates a modern font and color palette. A new children’s activity book will accompany the brand refresh and be used at camps, local schools, summer ambassador programs, and other events. The book will also be shared with local lodging businesses and offered to visiting families.
The zoo’s entrance area will be named Charles Paddock Plaza to honor its founder, Charles Paddock. The plaza will feature a bronze statue of Paddock and his first animal, an opossum named Cosmo Topper.
The Central Coast Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for more than 30 years, most recently receiving accreditation for another five years. The zoo was founded in 1955 by Charles Paddock, a county park ranger who cared for injured wildlife. At one time, Paddock cared for more than 125 animals.
The new name is part of “Zoo 2.0,” an expanded marketing effort aimed at increasing the zoo’s visibility throughout San Luis Obispo County and promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
