Fota Wildlife Park to receive €200,000 makeover
The funding, provided under the encouragement of tourism activities measure of the rural development programme, will aid the park’s conservation work, create additional learning opportunities for visitors and provide an indoor viewing and entertainment area for visitors to the park.
Unlike the existing unique open nature of the wildlife park, the proposed facility will provide the public with access to a series of additional indoor areas and will assist with the growth of visitor numbers outside the peak tourist summer season. Announcing the funding, Environment Minister Phil Hogan said this was a significant investment for Fota Wildlife Park, which was already a major tourist attraction.
“This investment will make the park more of an all-weather attraction and assist with extending the visitor season into the winter months. This will in turn benefit hotels and other tourism and leisure facilities in the area.”
The project will now go back to the board of South and East Cork Area Development Ltd for final approval.
Fota Wildlife Park is a joint project between the Zoological Society of Ireland and UCC, an idea originally conceived in the 1970s.
