Mill Mountain Zoo hosts ribbon cutting for expansion and renovation of two exhibits

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Dozens gathered for the ribbon cutting ceremony to see the expansion and renovation of the black bear and red wolf exhibits at Mill Mountain Zoo.

The Zoo’s original focus was making the area handicap accessible and it resulted in an even bigger project. Mill Mountain Zoo had a ton of support throughout the project and made sure all involved were recognized on the special day.

”People want us to succeed. We are not the little zoo that could, we are now the little zoo that will,” said Niki Voudren, executive director for Mill Mountain Zoo.

Voudren and her staff are excited to share it with all visitors and hope to build on this momentum for future projects

You can find the press release below:

“The black bear / red wolf expansion project began as a passion project to increase accessibility throughout the Zoo,” said Niki Voudren, Mill Mountain Zoo’s Executive Director. “This is an old zoo with a challenging terrain, and since we are a nonprofit organization, we can only make capital improvements as funding is secured; however, we will not compromise safety and accessibility. It was a critically important top priority to make the red wolf exhibit accessible to those with limited mobility.”

Some of the Zoo’s undeveloped property was utilized to expand guest access and improve the guest experience. Unfortunately, when renovations began, the dire need for critical repairs became evident and unavoidable, which increased the scope of the project and – ultimately – the cost.

“Because safety and accessibility are always of paramount importance, we quickly realized that what we thought would be a straightforward passion project was in fact going to be more complex and expensive than we had planned. To proceed was never in question – we got creative and got to work. The expansion/renovation would not be possible without so many wonderful contributors who care deeply about the zoo. We are forever grateful that so many people rallied around this iconic, historic zoo,” Voudren said.

The upgrade involved replacing recycled telephone poles and recycled railroad ties with steel poles and steel fencing. With new indestructible materials, the enclosures will withstand the test of time. The new and improved, state-of-the-art black bear and red wolf exhibits are 5,000 square feet each and are a testament to the Zoo’s commitment to the highest standards of safety and animal welfare. As a bonus, the reduced maintenance requirements of the new enclosures will save the Zoo money for many generations.

“This project ensures the integrity of the two enclosures for decades to come and represents the high-quality standards we have in place going forward to secure/safeguard a viable future for Mill Mountain Zoo,” said Voudren.”

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