The official launch for the Boreal Discovery Centre, the successor to the Thompson Zoo, was held Nov. 5. Keith MacDonald, president of the Thompson Zoological Society, spoke about the future centre. “When completed the boreal discovery centre will be a destination for families, students, residents and visitors to see and learn about the animals of the boreal forest during a year-round basis.”
The centre will include wolves, caribou, lynx, and owl exhibits. There will also be an aquarium that will showcase animals like the sturgeon and marine plants found in the surrounding forest. And expansion to the community gardens, the greenhouse and children’s play areas are also being developed.
Board member Penny Byer says the people in charge of this centre are pouring their hearts and souls into the work, and it’s evident when someone looks how the centre is coming along. “This will be a legacy for our children and grandchildren. The Boreal Discovery Centre will bring traditional knowledge of the boreal forest right to your doorstep. It will provide an opportunity for children and their families to learn together. It provides the region with a state-of-the-art facility. It will provide year-round recreational activities, and will have spinoff economic benefits including new jobs.”
MacDonald says by the official grand opening in 2019 Thompson will see at most 50 new jobs within this facility. MacDonald wants the boreal discovery centre to be an important part of Thompson, and something residents can be proud of. “We value education and knowledge and we will continue to be involved in the schools with our programming. We want children to have the opportunities to learn about the boreal forest and the creatures that live in it, in a safe and interactive environment.”
It is also important the centre honours the traditional beliefs of those that were here before them, since the centre is located in traditional Nisichawyasihk Cree Nation (NCN) territory, says MacDonald.
During the launch a four-minute video played, the same video that was broadcast on the side of the Best Western Hotel last week. The film, created by Zoo Design Inc. and voiced by Disney Inc., shows viewers exactly what they can expect when the centre is built.
It showed boardwalks full of informational facts, walkways to different exhibits, an amphitheatre and an aquarium.
Byer says because of the available space and the amphitheatre, the centre can bring in out-of-town shows and different acts. Shows could include “birds of prey,” where animal trainers bring in wild birds like bald eagles.
MacDonald says the care of the animals within this centre is their top priority. “We strive for the very highest of care for the animals in captivity. This means providing them with the appropriate space, treatment and care so that Thompson can be proud of the Boreal Discovery Centre.” The Thompson Zoological Society has been working hand in hand with the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums on development and providing the animals with as much space as possible. Many of the exhibits go above the current standards set out for Canadian zoos.
The Boreal Discovery entre is a $3.8 million, with a half a million already invested and donated. MacDonald says the Thompson Zoological Society has received a private donation of $40,000 to go towards the centre.
Fundraisers are being set up for the centre, with one already running that involves the Thompson Gas Bar Co-op. If residents purchasing anything at the store don’t have a membership number, they are being asked to use the Boreal Discovery Centre’s number.
MacDonald says the first stage of the centre will open in the spring of 2015, and that will be the wolf exhibit.
