Eco-park opening set to make a splash
The 25-acre site has been created to echo the adjoining surrounds of what is an international wildfowl reserve and one of the world’s most important wildfowl wetlands.
In the past weeks, mute swans, grey herons, various ducks and gulls, and curlew have been spotted at the reserve according to WWT Consultants who designed the centre.
WWT Consultants is a British-based group which grew out of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in England.
The project, which was jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland and Tralee Town Council, has been planned for more than a decade.
It was built at a cost of €4.5m.
The visitor centre includes audiovisual presentations, interactive IT exhibits, walk-through experiences and hands-on fun installed with help of wildlife biology students from Tralee IT.
Activities on offer include canoeing and fishing.
Cycleways and a light rail terminus also form part of the development which will also expand on historical projects begun in the 1990s.
A full-time ecologist and manager have been engaged and up to 15 people will be employed seasonally.
Some 70,000 visitors are expected in the first year, the project’s market research has indicated.
Town clerk Michael Scannell said the centre “will complement the Blennerville Windmill, Steam Railway and Aqua Dome, in particular, and help to re-position Tralee in the green and nature tourism market”.
Considered one of the world’s leading wetlands experts, WWT Consultancy is based at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, the headquarters of WWT, to whom it returns all profit to assist with wetland research and conservation.
The ecologist at the centre is Dr David Mc Cormick and the manager is Joanie McAuliffe, who has previously worked as assistant manager at Millstreet Country Park. She said: “We are ready to go from this Saturday at 10am”.
Admission to the activity zone is fee. Pedal boats and fishing boats are available.
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