But Salt Lake City officials say a $500,000 funding fix may provide the seed money to allow the struggling bird park to take flight - finally.

The cash infusion, tentatively approved by the City Council this week, is double the amount recommended by Mayor Rocky Anderson.

Councilwoman Jill Remington Love hopes the money, coupled with a re-energized management team, is enough to keep Liberty Park's "charming" attraction from being folded into Hogle Zoo.

"It's time to do our part," Love says about the city. "By keeping it separate, you have this opportunity to experience the birds on a smaller scale. It's more intimate."

There is no formal proposal to pluck the aviary and place it at the zoo.

But without funding, stakeholders concede anything is possible for what is one of only two public aviaries in the nation, which has seen five executive directors and three embezzlement scandals during the past decade.

"In my mind, the cheapest thing is just to make the aviary work," says Tim Brown, who has won plaudits for his leadership since taking over as the park's executive director.

Brown says the burden should be on him and the aviary board to "show the city we're a good bet."

Brown's colorful vision calls for a flight cage to showcase birds that use Western flyways for migration as well as a jungle-themed pavilion. Thus far, officials have raised a fraction of the master plan's $2.5 million price tag, but they hope to launch construction this winter.

Last fall, Brown's team suffered a setback when the 7.5-acre aviary was stripped of its national accreditation due to aging exhibits. But the decision came before accreditation officials had a chance to visit the new $1.1 million attraction known as "Destination Argentina." The aviary expects to reapply for accreditation next year.

The aviary, which opened on the city's original zoo grounds in 1938, receives money from private donors, Salt Lake County's Zoo, Arts and Parks tax and the city.

Even so, Love, whose district includes the bird park, wants to offer more support. She is pushing for an additional $1 million payment to cushion the park's capital-campaign coffers.

"Right now, birds are literally in what was an elephant cage," says Love, who calls the aviary's makeshift winter habitat "unimaginable."

"We cut them loose in the mid-90s without any life support. I'd like to see the city invest and keep them viable."

Holly Braithwaite, spokeswoman for Hogle Zoo, says zoo executives have not talked about relocating the aviary. "That is not a discussion that we've ever had."

Love and Brown say otherwise, but note the talks have been informal.

Such a move would be tricky since the zoo has no room and is pursuing a $65 million bond to help fund its $85 million overhaul.

To relocate the birds at the zoo, Brown notes, the city would have to provide more land near Emigration Canyon and pay to tear down the aviary's structures.

"It's pretty unrealistic," he says, adding donations at the aviary are on the rise. "We're not going away."

djensen@sltrib.com