Clarington Council approves ‘spectacular’ master plan for former Bowmanville Zoo lands

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Published October 30, 2024 at 3:22 pm

The Master Plan for a future 34-acre park on the former lands of the Bowmanville Zoo have been given an enthusiastic roar of approval from Clarington Council, with Mayor Adrian Foster calling project a “spectacular piece of work.”

“In Clarington, the Zoo Lands are near and dear to our hearts. We know residents will be excited to once again have access to this well-loved property, which has long been an important part of the Clarington community,” Foster said. “By getting to work as soon as possible to construct trails within the park, we can have useable greenspace for everyone to enjoy, as we continue to work to design and build the ambitious park space that was created in consultation with the community.”

The park’s design, developed with community input and in collaboration with local community group Valleys 2000, captures the natural features and history of the land in its vision. From natural play structures to an outdoor amphitheatre, connected trails, demonstration gardens, and art and culture installation spaces – the vision for this area is a “bold and inspiring” signature park for the community that honours the legacy of Soper Creek and the former zoo and integrates the lands into the broader trail system.

“We are very excited to work with Clarington and our community partners on this transformational project to create a wonderful park and opportunities for green education in the heart of Bowmanville,” said Valleys 2000 President Ron Strike. “We want to recognize the leadership and vision of Clarington Council and staff that lead to this day.”

The project will now advance to the detailed design of phase one, focusing on a trail network within the park to start construction next year and open in 2026.

Visit www.clarington.net/BowmanvillePark to see the design plans and learn more about the project.

 

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