The boss of Bristol Zoo Gardens has said the visitor attraction will be a "valuable community asset" for generations to come.
The comments from the boss of Bristol Zoo come as the city's Zoological Society reveals more details of its proposal for the 186-year-old site, after Bristol Zoo Gardens closes to the public later this year.
The closure date for one of the city's most famous tourist attractions was announced last month, and the 12-acre Clifton site is due to be sold with planning permission for homes set in gardens near the Downs.
Dr Justin Morris said: “This is a special place in all our hearts. It has always brought people and wildlife together and it will continue to do that.
“It will still be a destination for Bristolians. It will be a place for the local community, visitors and residents to meet and as we announced before Christmas, the gardens will be open to everyone free of charge for the first time ever.”
Last year, the Zoological Society appointed a team of architects and designers to take forward the redevelopment of the Zoo Gardens site.
Plans include building around 206 homes with solar panels and air source heat pumps, and will be submitted to Bristol City Council later this spring. The plans will also feature a café with indoor and outdoor seating at Bristol Zoo Gardens’ entrance building.
Dr Morris said the community was at the heart of plans for the 12-acre site, which now include:
- the theatre and main lawn becoming a focal point for community, cultural and educational activities;
- more entrances to ensure that the award-winning gardens are easy for people to reach;
- Monkey Temple, the Aviary and Bear Pit will be restored with new planting and seating;
- a new publicly accessible children’s playground;
- the creation of the Clifton conservation hub, providing learning spaces and programmes for and by local community groups.
Plans are also being considered for a public art trail featuring new sculptures and displays for both permanent and temporary exhibits.
Dr Morris said: “The elements that make this such a special place, such as the secret paths, the mature trees and shrubs and their unique setting, will all remain.
“I genuinely believe the gardens will be a tremendous community asset for all Bristolians, for generations to come. This is our legacy, a lasting gift to the community of Bristol, which we know will be welcomed and enjoyed by generations of people now and well into the future.”
The lake, around which the walled gardens are laid out, will be enhanced to improve the habitat for amphibians and fish, said the zoo in a statement, adding that the majority of high grade trees will remain, with new landscaping to improve their health.
Bristol Zoological Society has organised a series of public consultation and exhibition events. A drop-in event is being held between 3pm and 7.30pm on Thursday, March 24, at Bristol Zoo Gardens’ Clifton Pavilion on College Road.
Money from the sale of the site will help pay for the development of the new Bristol Zoo which will be built at the Society’s Wild Place Project and is due to open in 2024. The new Bristol Zoo will have conservation, education and sustainability at its heart, with almost 80% of animals linked to Bristol Zoological Society’s conservation programmes.
Throughout that time Wild Place Project, near junction 17 of the M5 Motorway, will continue to welcome visitors as usual.
The zoo at Clifton will close to the public on September 3, 2022, meaning that people can still visit throughout the summer for the final time.
Over the years, it has helped to save around 175 species from extinction through its conservation work in the UK and across the world. The zoo is planning a series of special celebration events ahead of its closure to the public.
They will include days when visitors will be able to share their memories of the zoo and wander around its award-winning grounds. The dates for the special events, which will take place this summer, will be revealed in the coming weeks.
