HIE secures £1 million funding towards new visitor centre at Highland Wildlife Park
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A new visitor centre at the Highland Wildlife Park has moved a step closer after £1 million of funding was secured by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The money has been awarded to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland to help progress the project to create Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre near Kincraig. It is expected that 32 new jobs will be created at the new centre.
The purpose-built building will feature an exhibition and education space alongside a café, function room and shop.
RZSS, which also operates Edinburgh Zoo, was forced to close both parks to the public for three months during lockdown. Many employees of the wildlife conservation charity were furloughed, although keepers worked through to look after the animals.
While closed to visitors, the site had sought support from the public and raised funds through donations, pre-purchased tickets, memberships and adoptions. The money raised ensured the animals received the best of care when the park was closed.
The park reopened at the beginning of July as restrictions were eased in efforts to restart the tourism sector and safety measures are now in place to protect visitors, the animals and staff.
James Gibbs, area manager for HIE’s Inner Moray Firth area team, said: “Tourism is a key industry in the Badenoch and Strathspey area, and this project will enhance the area’s visitor offering as well as providing a number of new jobs for local people.
"Having Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre situated there would help the park to continue to deliver excellent customer service to visitors. We are very pleased to support this venture and look forward to seeing it taking shape once all the funding is in place.”
Daska Mackintosh, head of operations and visitor services at Highland Wildlife Park, said: “As a charity, we are thrilled to have been awarded this funding which will take us one step closer to the creation of Scotland's Wildlife Discovery Centre.
“Education is at the heart of what we do and the centre would allow us to engage with more people about the importance of conservation and what we can do as individuals to help protect threatened species here in Scotland and around the world.”
Initial support of £100,000 for the project was announced last year by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
