Projects
Current Projects
Project stage: Concept - Estimated Construction to begin in 2013
Budget: Approximately $35 million to be partially raised by the Valley Zoo Development Society
As part of the Valley Zoo Revitalization Project, the current Storyland portion of the Zoo will be replaced with a new area called Nature’s Wild Back Yard.
Nature’s Wild Backyard is the place where our youngest guests will have the opportunity to truly get up close and personal with animals … to experience, possibly for the first time in their lives, the delight of watching, interacting and bonding with animals.
Focused on learning through play, Nature’s Wild Backyard will feature a make-believe veterinary hospital and underground tunnels that will allow guests to come face to face with prairie dogs and meerkats in their natural underground habitats.
While Nature’s Wild Backyard will feature popular and typical petting zoo animals such as goats, cows, ducks and rabbits, it will also go far beyond the expected with fun and fascinating animals like squirrel monkeys, frogs, turtles, lemurs and many more.
The VZDS is committed to raising $9 million in support of the Nature’s Wild Back Yard as a part of the Valley Zoo Revitalization Project. We are confident that donations from individuals, corporations, government and private foundations, we will enable us to reach this goal.
If you would like more information on this project or the events and fundraisers we will be hosting for it, please contact our office at 780-496-6924.
Entry Plaza, Education Centre, Otter Habitat and The Wander trail system
Project stage: Concept
Opening: Late 2012
Budget: $35 million
The zoo’s new entrance will be the gateway to The Wander, a magnificent central trail system that will showcase interpretive displays of plants and animals native to Alberta’s North Saskatchewan River. The Wander will make it easy for visitors to find their way around the zoo while learning about the river’s environment and the habitats it creates.
Features of The Wander include:
- Trout ponds and melt water play areas
- Cobbled stream and aspen parklands with interactive play structures
- Seating throughout for picnics and relaxation
- Working wetlands and wetland demonstration areas
The new education centre will provide much needed space for programming. Demand for day camps, zoo school and other programming exceeds the space available. The entry plaza will feature an improved otter habitat and visitor services, such as a café, gift shop and washrooms.
Other projects underway
The Zoo’s new veterinary hospital is scheduled to be completed in September 2010. This facility will include a treatment clinic, a surgery, quarantine facilities and laboratory. Budget for this project, which includes improvements to the Winter Quarters, is approximately $1 million, of which the Valley Zoo Development Society contributed $150,000.
A new perimeter fence, approximately 10 feet tall, will replace the existing wooden fence along Buena Vista Drive and the zoo parking lot. The budget of $600,000 includes landscaping and other improvements.
Total funding allocated for capital development: $53.3 million
Completed Projects
Makira Outpost
This new structure signals the beginning of change at the Valley Zoo. It is the first enclosure to open that aligns with the Valley Zoo’s City Council approved master plan for renewal.
The enclosure and the island are fitting for the Lemurs as the island of Madagascar is the only place in the world where Lemurs live in the wild. The design of this building allows for the exhibit of four different endangered species of Lemur, and they can easily co-exist both inside and outside on the island year-round.
It is unique in using passive solar considerations and the naturalized interior environment with a living wall backdrop composed of living plants. The island is barrier free, with no fence, because the design incorporates a natural water moat barrier — lemurs do not like water!
Bighorn Sheep Enclosure Upgrade
Bighorn sheep landscaping and retaining was upgraded by the addition of large rocks, improving the habitat for the animals and viewing opportunities for you.
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