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A $4.8 million project is under way to transform La Crosse’s Myrick Park Zoo into an ecopark linked to Hixon Forest.

Seven Coulee Region Rotary clubs and Hixon Forest Nature Center’s plan, “Just Zoo It and More,” would change the zoo from a place where animals are displayed to an ecopark where visitors see how North American animals live.
The Rotary clubs and Hixon Forest want to combine the natural resources of Myrick Park and Hixon to create more educational opportunities for residents and visitors.

“Ecopark is a name we gave the project,” said Stephanie DuCharme, Valley View Rotarian and member of the project’s steering committee. “It’s a destination that encourages appreciation and education of nature and the animals in it.

“It’s not only educational but also a recreational destination for families who like to see nature and animals and experience the out-of-doors. And the word ‘eco’ means it would be more friendly to the animals. While they will be constrained, it will be more like their environment.”

The project picks up where a study commissioned by the city of La Crosse more than five years ago left off. The city cited budget constraints when it shelved a master plan developed from that study.

Planners expect the annual number of visitors to increase from about 50,000 now to between 100,000 and 150,000.

“I wholeheartedly support this project because I think our current zoo needs renovation, and this will be a project between the public and private sectors of

La Crosse,” said Mayor Mark Johnsrud. “Rotary is raising the funds to make this possible, so we do not have to use taxpayer dollars to renovate the zoo.”

Hixon Forest Nature Center, which provides nature education programs, would join the ecopark, and the forest and

La Crosse River Marsh would continue to be used for environmental education.

“We can be partners with education, pre-kindergarten through college,” said DuCharme, envisioning a new facility that could be used by college students with majors such as biology and pre-veterinary medicine.

“Imagine teaching about wetland ecology in a room with egrets, waterfowl and muskrats visible through the window,” she said. “Imagine this zoo and environmental education facility located adjacent to a 1,100-acre wetland and near an 800-acre forest in an urban area, helping people understand and appreciate the tremendous natural resources of this area.”

The current zoo is outdated at best and at worst does not provide comfortable living for the animals, according to a packet given to potential benefactors.

In addition, DuCharme said, the current zoo is not accredited and planners would work to acquire accreditation for the new facility.

Johnsrud said he considered closing the zoo as a way to save money in this year’s budget because of the poor condition.

Under the ecopark plan, the old zoo building would be renovated into the veterinary headquarters and nocturnal building, and a 10,000-square-foot nature center would replace the cramped 1,200-square-foot nature center.

Animals indigenous to the area would be put in natural environments. Exotic animals, including the monkeys and peacocks, would be sent to retirement communities for zoo animals. Monkey Island would become a showcase exhibit featuring otters.

Planners said removing the monkeys might be controversial. “It makes eminent sense to have indigenous animals because having animals from the Upper Midwest falls in the realm of an educational zoo,” said Bob Berg, La Crosse Parks and Recreation Department.

The physical layout would be different as the road through the zoo would be gone, and the connections between the zoo, Hixon Forest and the marsh improved. The ecopark still would contain a place for rides and amusements.

Features would include a barnyard exhibit, an aquarium and a building for nocturnal animals, where night conditions will be mimicked, enabling people to see the animals when they are active.

The current zoo is free, but there probably would be a charge to enter the entire ecopark, though the fee has not been established. Admission to the Nature Center would be free; the park would have free admission sometimes.

A portion of each dollar collected will go to an endowment for future expenses, said Teri Wildt, fundraising co-chairman. “We do not want to just raise the money and then go away.”

The city probably would participate, perhaps by improving Myrick Park or the trail linking Hixon Forest to the park, Johnsrud said.

Berg said he imagines the city would have a long-term lease with the ecopark foundation like it has with other groups operating on city property, such as the La Crosse Loggers in Copeland Park.

Members of the ecopark steering committee concede the project is an ambitious one. But they point out that the Coulee Region Rotary clubs shepherded the Kids Coulee project and annually coordinate Rotary Lights, and that Rotary International spearheaded the worldwide eradication of polio.

$1 million already raised

About $1 million has been raised for La Crosse’s $4.8 million ecopark, said Natalie Hartigan, fundraising chairwoman.

Donors have sponsored the prairie dog exhibit, birds of prey aviaries, marsh interpretation aviaries, marsh overlook, songbirds exhibit and rabbit exhibit, she said.

The project’s steering committee estimates it will take about a year to raise the funds, at which point the project could begin.

For information on the project or to become involved, send an e-mail to myrickecopark@aol.com.

Donations can be made to La Crosse Rotary Foundation, Myrick EcoPark Project, P.O. Box 3583, La Crosse, WI 54602-3583.

THE PROJECT

Local Rotary clubs came up with the zoo renovation idea two years ago to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Rotary International, when clubs were challenged to undertake projects with impact on their communities. Rotary clubs involved are Valley View, Downtown, East, North, Onalaska, La Crescent and Caledonia, Minn. Together, they have about 450 members.

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