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Mike Stobbs | profile | all galleries >> Former City Of Moose Jaw Saskatchewan Wild Animal Park tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Former City Of Moose Jaw Saskatchewan Wild Animal Park

The City of Moose Jaw's former wild animal park is located in Wakomow Valley. It was opened in 1929 and covered some 540 acres of land. Home to over 200 exotic and native animals,a childrens zoo and later an amusement park it was closed for good on September 28th 1995.This was Saskatchewans only zoo and the last time I visited it was in the late 80's. Saskatchewan Envirorment and Resoure Management sold the land (540 acres) to the City of Moose Jaw in April of 1997 for the sum of $1.00. The city was responsible for the decommissioning of the park and restoring the land, the province agreed to provide a $50,000 grant to the city to assist with this work. I had visited this park in the summer of 2006 but it was so over grown you could not find a thing so it was on my list to return to in the fall to seek out the foundations and such. The images show what I found.....Did the city use the money wisely? Is the land restored?
Your comments are most welcome and enjoy...........Mike
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This sign tells the tale
This sign tells the tale		 The gates were locked for good Sept. 28th 1995
The gates were locked for good Sept. 28th 1995		 The Great Gates once welcomed vistiors
The Great Gates once welcomed vistiors		 The pass gate remains open
The pass gate remains open		 The gates from the rear
The gates from the rear
Fences that once kept animals in now keep humans out
Fences that once kept animals in now keep humans out		 t6%2f48%2f623048%2f4%2f70096178.t33O7mLi.jpg The only wooden light post
The only wooden light post		 Foundations near the pass gate
Foundations near the pass gate		 Kids come to practice their art
Kids come to practice their art
R.I.P.
R.I.P.		 Former flower bed
Former flower bed		 The foundation for the Reception Area & Exhibits Building
The foundation for the Reception Area & Exhibits Building		 More foundations
More foundations		 Exibits power box
Exibits power box
Maintanance Building Floor
Maintanance Building Floor		 Maintenance Building Remains
Maintenance Building Remains		 The now empty parking lot
The now empty parking lot		 One of 3 remaining structures
One of 3 remaining structures		 From the back
From the back
Inside we see it was a washroom
Inside we see it was a washroom		 One of two drinking fountains
One of two drinking fountains		 Old sign foundation
Old sign foundation		 The last thing said is We are closed and thanks for coming out
The last thing said is "We are closed and thanks for coming out"		 The second washroom
The second washroom
The walkways are silent
The walkways are silent		 Light post foundation
Light post foundation		 Cage foundation and sidewalk
Cage foundation and sidewalk		 Even the Beavers left and never returned
Even the Beavers left and never returned		 Sidewalks to nowhere
Sidewalks to nowhere
The only hydrant in the park
The only hydrant in the park		 The second fountain
The second fountain		 The only thing on the range are the irrigation posts
The only thing on the range are the irrigation posts		 The roads are almost gone
The roads are almost gone		 The weeds have overgrown the trees
The weeds have overgrown the trees
The bridge to the main park area
The bridge to the main park area		 Old alarm system not protecting anymore
Old alarm system not protecting anymore		 All the doors are busted in
All the doors are busted in		 Pond area
Pond area		 Pond area
Pond area
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Corie. 19-Apr-2013 00:46
Hay does anyone have pictures of Coco the grizzly bear?
S. Robbins 04-Apr-2013 18:57
Hi there

I visited the park a long time ago from Ontario. I am considering a move to SK and googled the park in hopes to volunteer there. I will always remember the fun i had there. My dad was showing his street rods at a car show there and it was amazing to stay right on site. I spent hours sitting with this Grizzly Bear named Coco. Sad to see it shut down was looking forward to taking my girls there if we decide to move. The pictures are definitely not the way i remember things. I think it was early 90's when i went there. I worked at the zoo in my home town for three summers as a student while I studied entomology at college. Loved it and my daughters and I go there almost daily in the summer. Sad to see its gone great to see everyones memories though
S 03-Dec-2012 18:19
Hi everyone! Does anyone remember the big wooden play house that had the draw bridge and pole that you could slide down??? Also, there was a big metal horse that could fit almost 8 kids or more!!! My wife and I took our dog down to the park yesterday and tons of faded memories flooded my mind as I tried to remember and point out the lay out of the park to my wife! I know there must be a visitors map of the park which I would to see! Can anyone help? Does anyone remember the layout?
Karla 17-Jul-2012 19:54
I have been thinking of the old zoo lately, I was supposed to go to it on a class trip months before it closed down. I didn't know what they did with the land.. too bad that it wasn't cared for in the least I was thinking that if it was still in reasonable condition a person could try to start it up again.. its something that Saskatchewan could really benefit from. Its sad that there isn't a place to take the kids in SK anymore. You have to travel to other provinces just to see a zoo.. :( Sad to see that part of Saskatchewan's history is being disregarded.
Sandy Carmichael nee May 23-Jun-2012 22:07
To see "The Wild Animal Park" looking this way is very sad for me. I was a Moose Jaw girl..graduated from Riverview Collegiate in 1962! I lived at the top of the hill on Keith Crescent, worked in the summers at "The Training School" with special needs people. I especially loved working with the children, and would go back to see them on my days off! Several times I was able to take one of the young girls home for the day so my parents could enjoy them too! I especially loved the 1:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. shifts, so I could go dancing after work in the evenings, and "sleep in" in the morning! I often visited "The Wild Animal Park" with my Parents and my Grandparents. I now live in Langley, B.C. and still dance several times a week! But ...the look of the park now, makes me so sad. Sandy May Carmichael.
Lorrie 26-Sep-2011 18:08
Oh, I miss that park. I remember being 7 mths pregnant at the time with my daughter. That didn't stop me from being in the bumper boats. Oh, what fun and the splashing!!!
Aaron 14-Aug-2011 02:42
does anyone have pictures before the park was closed? only 27yrs old and very fond memories of the park, would like to show my own kids one day
Murray 09-Aug-2011 17:17
The animal park was good place to relax and have a family barbecue it's to bad it had to close down for ever
Guest 09-Aug-2011 17:12
It's to bad the animal park had to close it was a place to vist and to relax and have a family barbacue
molly Rexilius 03-Feb-2011 17:46
my email is mollyrex1@aol.com thanks
Molly Rexilius 03-Feb-2011 17:45
I am doing a canada report for my school if someone can tell me about moose jaw wild animal park good places and things about it please contact soon
guest 26-Jan-2011 00:17
How sad it was closed sorry for moose jaws wild animal park the pics make me heart broken:(
Guest 26-Jan-2011 00:15
how sad it was closed
Guest 19-Jan-2011 15:30
The park was grat when it was a zoo and it is missed but the area is used for recreation now. People hike and it is ideal with the large fenced in area for dogs.
megin 12-Dec-2010 17:35
very very very sad
Guest 26-Sep-2010 03:11
Was just in moose jaw today trying to find the zoo. What street did you take to get in there.
Ed Tollefson 26-May-2010 23:15
Anyone interested in seeing a photo of the moose car passes can e-mail me at edbertha@sasktel.net
Ed Tollefson 26-May-2010 23:12
I have a photo of one of the metals moose car oasses that Vern curry speaks of. If anyone wants to see it you can call me at (306) 751 0276
Bill Smith 23-Apr-2010 18:02
As I wrote in my last post I have a collection of the parks pass if you have any forsale please email me. I am wanting to add to collection and any pictures or post card of the park. Thks Bill Email wl.smith@shaw.ca
Bill Smith 22-Mar-2010 03:21
Hi I grew up in mj and remember the park .Was there last july was sad to see it gone. I have a collection of the metal parks passes if anyone wants history on them email me. Email wl.smith@shaw.ca
Brent. 12-Feb-2010 20:34
I used to work at the zoo back in about 93/94. Was a great place to work. Sad to see it like it is now. I have made a return trip down there myself and have seen it in its current state. Anyways good times. Great pictures.
Ed Tollefson 20-Jan-2010 14:08
I lived just a 1/4 mile from the Park for almost 20 years. Visited it many times. The last time I was there was with a bus tour of Seniors about 1992. For nostalgic reasons it was so sad to see it close. I have 2 of the Moose entrance passes that were used at the beginning. It is dated 1932.
Red Green 05-Nov-2009 18:42
Hey Mike...could not find a thing?...you missed just 540 acres of a wild animal park full of flora and fauna in an urban setting...we need more areas like this!
Guest 12-May-2009 15:51
my auntie worked here and she told me it was awsome
Guest 12-May-2009 15:51
my auntie worked here and she told me it was awsome
Mike 25-Nov-2008 16:10
I've just been viewing colour slides of bears,eagle,deer etc taken by my father at the Moose Jaw Wild Animal Park in 1942 when he was stationed at the RCAF base 32FSTS and we lived in Moose Jaw for 3yrs.I have a 100 slides, showing Crescent Park, RCAF shots, lake Regina and Banff.
Mike B
Beth 04-Apr-2008 17:06
Most of the buildings have been torn down. (Old washrooms and pumphouse remain)
The "last" picnic table has been ripped apart, looks like someone wanted to burn it.
www.Wakamow.com has some more photos.
LM Gildersleeve17-Mar-2008 23:28
It seems to me if they removed those fences they'd have the natural fauna return. I realize it is a tremendous amount of work and money to clean it up, but the town create a nice public area there. But if this animal park is like others I've been to, the location is a poor one.
shayla 25-Feb-2008 20:14
very sad
Vern Curry 13-Nov-2007 14:28
Can you tell me anything about the metal Moose car passes that were used for entrance into the park? These were fastened onto the radiator of your car. How many years were they used? Were they always brass or were other metals used as well? Any information you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated.
Nick Begin 18-Sep-2007 02:07
hey mike this is nick. i just wanted to ask you one thing my friend does not believe there are any badgers down there could you prove it to him??? have you seen any down there?
Diane Neufeld 13-Jul-2007 22:48
Hi Mike, I remember the childrens area of the park in the early 60's. It had a barn where you climbed up a ladder to the loft & then went down a slide, a pumpkin house & best of all - a castle with a drawbridge that terrified us. Do you know anyone with pictures of the childrens area.It has my fondest memories. I don't remember when they got rid of it but in my opinion it was a big mistake. Diane
Y. Charbonneau 13-Nov-2006 16:32
Cool pix Mike!
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