The Wilds: $2.5M grant will help with innovative lodging and new giraffe barn

CUMBERLAND − The Wilds will be the recipient of a $2.5 million grant from the Ohio Senate’s One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund to build a new giraffe barn as part of its conservation efforts and to build innovative lodging that allows guests to interact more freely with the animals in its 30th year of being open to the public.

“It’s apartment-style lodging that will serve as a way for guests to be more deeply engaged with giraffes,” said Vice President of The Wilds Dr. Joe Smith, who added the new lodging will also provide a revenue source to make the giraffe program and The Wilds more sustainable. “A family can rent out the second-floor apartment with windows that look into the giraffe barn. We’re getting lots of excitement around that idea and we think it will be very popular.”

The new lodging will also be ADA accessible, Smith said.

“We will be able to bring people of all abilities up to experience the feeding of giraffes,” he said. “The closer we can get people to animals and to connect and know them, the more they care and can make a positive impact on wild animals and places. That’s the core of what we’re doing. That’s the greater purpose of the Wilds. We’re a conservation center. We bring animals and people together that might not normally engage with one another.”

The Wilds is a private, non-profit safari park and conservation center that combines conservation science and education programs. It sits on more than 10,000 acres and is home to threatened and endangered species.

The money for the project was awarded by State Senator Al Landis (R-Dover) who gave a total of $8 million to several projects in Senate District 31 including the Cambridge YMCA, Wooster Community Hospital, Shreve Wastewater Treatment Plant System, and the Tuscarawas County Engineer.

“It is crucial that we fund projects that will make a meaningful impact in the lives of our constituents,” said Landis. “The (One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund) is a unique opportunity for communities to look at projects that will make their area a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

The money stems from a $700 million pot of federal cash Ohio received during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ohio House and Ohio Senate agreed that each chamber would decide how $350 million would be spent.

The Wilds money is part of Senate Bill 288 introduced the week of June 10 to the Senate Finance Committee, according to Landis’ spokesperson Susan Wittstock. She said they anticipate it will be voted on by the full Senate on the floor on June 26 before moving to the House for approval and finally being signed by Gov. Mike DeWine. The state budget wraps June 30.

New facility could open in 2026

Smith said he recently received a call from Landis himself giving him the good news. He said they are ecstatic to receive the funds that will go towards the $6 million project.

“We’re already engaged with the architect, and they have conceptual drawings done,” said Smith. “With this additional funding, we can move into construction drawings which allows us to go to bid. We should be able to finish the design this summer and put out to bid this winter.”

Smith said he’s hoping for construction to start next year thanks to this funding, with the new facility opening in 2026. But that’s all dependent on funding.

“Some of the additional funds have come from private donations and fundraising events held by the Wilds,” said Smith. “But we still have a little bit of a gap, so we are continuing our fundraising efforts by asking private donors and foundations.”

Campground opening next year

The next step for the Wilds after building the giraffe barn won’t be another conservation project, said Smith, it will be infrastructure.

The Wilds have a new RV campground opening in the spring of 2025, which allowed them to bring Muskingum county water to the property for the first time since it began. Currently, outside of the new campground, the Wilds and all its operations use a potable water system, which includes underground storage tanks that pump water into the facility.

“We’re looking at expanding that county water hook-up to the rest of our facility,” he said. “We also want to re-do our high-speed internet network, as well as upgrading our roads, parking, and drainage infrastructure. Those are some of the challenges we really need to address. Those foundational basics must be complete before we start expanding with additional, brand-new exhibits and guest features.”

But for now, Smith is grateful for the influx of money from Senator Landis to move forward with the new giraffe barn and guest lodging.

“Our mission is empowering people and saving wildlife,” said Smith. “This project perfectly embodies our mission. We’re involving people in these overnight lodgings to conserve giraffes. Part of those proceeds will also go to our conservation funds. Just by staying in the new giraffe lodging, guests will be helping us contribute to conservation. That’s the core of what the Wilds are all about.”

The Wilds is located at 14000 International Road Cumberland. For more information, visit www.thewilds.org/.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Innovative lodging will allow guests to look into new giraffe barn