Zoos which are no longer open
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Meaghan Edwards
Well-Known Member
Off the top of my head, some zoos in Canada (specially in my immediate area):
Niagara Falls Serpentarium (Niagara Falls, Ontario). I visited frequently as a child; I remember the hours were odd but they had an incredible collection from a wonderful fish tank I remember being at eye level with, and so many reptiles; not sure when it closed, but I'm guessing sometime in the mid 1980s.
Dundurn Castle Zoo (Hamilton, Ontario). Closed in the 1930s, had lions, monkeys and bison were held in the old "Cock Pit" which they used as a shelter. They also had black phase Grey Squirrels which were reportedly released when the zoo closed and there's some belief that many of Hamilton's black phase squirrels are related to this one. When a resident lion died, he was taxidermied and put on display but they aren't sure of his whereabout snow (the same goes for the head of a buffalo bull they once had in the dining room).
Hamilton Aviary (Hamilton, Ontario). Closed hopefully only temporarily due to new facilities being desperately needed; cited for mouse infestation and electrical issues. It was opened originally at Dundurn Castle sometime after the zoo closed but then closed down and moved to the old police station at Gage Park. Dundurn was a better location IMO, more spacious enclosures etc; nice variety of species in a park like setting. I somehow recall them having small monkeys in the 1980s in their Dundurn Castle location my wires are crossed and they were just at Toronto Zoo. I have somewhere a brochure with ambitious plans that would include Puffins (!) in a new facility, hope they still have plans to go ahead with it.
Steel City Safari (Hamilton, Ontario). Not a zoo per se but a convention that had exotic animals (mostly reptiles and birds) and shows featuring them. Only done for a few years' I visited in 2010, I believe.
Toronto Zoo (Riverdale Park location) (Toronto, Ontario). Closed when Toronto Zoo opened in 1974 with the resident animals moving to the Meadowvale location. Had elephants, polar bears etc. Now a farm with some old structures left behind.
Not a zoo per se but there was a bison enclosure on the Burlington Bayfront park, sometime in the 1950s. No longer in existence.
Riverside Park Zoo (Cambridge, Ontario). Once had a small zoo; unsure of species but some old structures of it remain, some of it has been demolished. May have been just a petting zoo type thing; never went. Only started going to the park after it closed.
Riverside Park Zoo (Guelph, Ontario). "In 1914, a small zoo was established near the present-day Woolwich Street entrance. Guelphites could take their kids to see lynx, coyotes, raccoons, monkeys, pheasants, deer, bears, and goats. At that time, the park was outside the city limits, so wild deer wandered in from the countryside." Opinion | Guelph's Riverside Park — a city park like no other Not sure when it was closed
Unnamed (?) exotic game farm in Stoney Creek, Ontario. Visited with family in the 1980s, closed due to divorce. Only gate structure and old fencing remains; house burned down, and I believe the barns demolished years before. They had llamas (back then they were more exotic), bison, different deer species. Perhaps an attempt to create a zoo was started here but never came to be.
Park zoo in Paris, Ontario, or nearby area. Once had more species in this park zoo, reduced to single deer enclosure which may or may not be still open.
Bowmanville Zoo (Bowmanville, Ontario). Closed 2016. Visited only once to visit the lions featured in "The Ghost and The Darkness."
Miles Park Farm (Mississauga, Ontario). "By far the most popular tenant at the farm was Tootsie the elephant who originally came from Burma, and was very tame. Sadly, fire struck Miles Park Farm on Sunday, February 14, 1943 and 70 animals were lost, including Tootsie. But back to the note in the file: it recalls that Tootsie’s bones were buried on the property, and her “funeral” was attended by many saddened children from the area. Miles Park Farm remained in operation into the early 1950s. After it closed, the property was sold for development. Although we do not know where for certain, somewhere on the property the bones of Tootsie the elephant lie buried, possibly in modern Brookmede Park which is located on part of what was Miles Park Farm. Modern Dunwin Drive, as it leads north from Dundas Street, follows part of the former Miles Park Farm laneway." 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Mississauga
Some more info:
Other species mentioned included birds, monkeys, ostriches, horses, donkeys, camels Mimico Beach Estates: Miles Park - Miles Road
Erie Beach Park (Fort Erie, Ontario). Once had a zoo. The zoo at the Park was a seasonal exhibition, with animals transported from the Buffalo zoo for the summer. CEC: Closed Canadian Parks - Erie Beach Park
Shocking number, come to think of it :O
Niagara Falls Serpentarium (Niagara Falls, Ontario). I visited frequently as a child; I remember the hours were odd but they had an incredible collection from a wonderful fish tank I remember being at eye level with, and so many reptiles; not sure when it closed, but I'm guessing sometime in the mid 1980s.
Dundurn Castle Zoo (Hamilton, Ontario). Closed in the 1930s, had lions, monkeys and bison were held in the old "Cock Pit" which they used as a shelter. They also had black phase Grey Squirrels which were reportedly released when the zoo closed and there's some belief that many of Hamilton's black phase squirrels are related to this one. When a resident lion died, he was taxidermied and put on display but they aren't sure of his whereabout snow (the same goes for the head of a buffalo bull they once had in the dining room).
Hamilton Aviary (Hamilton, Ontario). Closed hopefully only temporarily due to new facilities being desperately needed; cited for mouse infestation and electrical issues. It was opened originally at Dundurn Castle sometime after the zoo closed but then closed down and moved to the old police station at Gage Park. Dundurn was a better location IMO, more spacious enclosures etc; nice variety of species in a park like setting. I somehow recall them having small monkeys in the 1980s in their Dundurn Castle location my wires are crossed and they were just at Toronto Zoo. I have somewhere a brochure with ambitious plans that would include Puffins (!) in a new facility, hope they still have plans to go ahead with it.
Steel City Safari (Hamilton, Ontario). Not a zoo per se but a convention that had exotic animals (mostly reptiles and birds) and shows featuring them. Only done for a few years' I visited in 2010, I believe.
Toronto Zoo (Riverdale Park location) (Toronto, Ontario). Closed when Toronto Zoo opened in 1974 with the resident animals moving to the Meadowvale location. Had elephants, polar bears etc. Now a farm with some old structures left behind.
Not a zoo per se but there was a bison enclosure on the Burlington Bayfront park, sometime in the 1950s. No longer in existence.
Riverside Park Zoo (Cambridge, Ontario). Once had a small zoo; unsure of species but some old structures of it remain, some of it has been demolished. May have been just a petting zoo type thing; never went. Only started going to the park after it closed.
Riverside Park Zoo (Guelph, Ontario). "In 1914, a small zoo was established near the present-day Woolwich Street entrance. Guelphites could take their kids to see lynx, coyotes, raccoons, monkeys, pheasants, deer, bears, and goats. At that time, the park was outside the city limits, so wild deer wandered in from the countryside." Opinion | Guelph's Riverside Park — a city park like no other Not sure when it was closed
Unnamed (?) exotic game farm in Stoney Creek, Ontario. Visited with family in the 1980s, closed due to divorce. Only gate structure and old fencing remains; house burned down, and I believe the barns demolished years before. They had llamas (back then they were more exotic), bison, different deer species. Perhaps an attempt to create a zoo was started here but never came to be.
Park zoo in Paris, Ontario, or nearby area. Once had more species in this park zoo, reduced to single deer enclosure which may or may not be still open.
Bowmanville Zoo (Bowmanville, Ontario). Closed 2016. Visited only once to visit the lions featured in "The Ghost and The Darkness."
Miles Park Farm (Mississauga, Ontario). "By far the most popular tenant at the farm was Tootsie the elephant who originally came from Burma, and was very tame. Sadly, fire struck Miles Park Farm on Sunday, February 14, 1943 and 70 animals were lost, including Tootsie. But back to the note in the file: it recalls that Tootsie’s bones were buried on the property, and her “funeral” was attended by many saddened children from the area. Miles Park Farm remained in operation into the early 1950s. After it closed, the property was sold for development. Although we do not know where for certain, somewhere on the property the bones of Tootsie the elephant lie buried, possibly in modern Brookmede Park which is located on part of what was Miles Park Farm. Modern Dunwin Drive, as it leads north from Dundas Street, follows part of the former Miles Park Farm laneway." 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Mississauga
Some more info:
Other species mentioned included birds, monkeys, ostriches, horses, donkeys, camels Mimico Beach Estates: Miles Park - Miles Road
Erie Beach Park (Fort Erie, Ontario). Once had a zoo. The zoo at the Park was a seasonal exhibition, with animals transported from the Buffalo zoo for the summer. CEC: Closed Canadian Parks - Erie Beach Park
Shocking number, come to think of it :O
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Alma Park Zoo
I also believe that SEALIFE Manley is in three process of shutting down.
I also believe that SEALIFE Manley is in three process of shutting down.
Meaghan Edwards
Well-Known Member
Some of the pictures of the Miles Park Farm animals can be viewed here: to view the images bigger, just right click then open image in new tab:
The A.W. Miles Story | Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles - Newbiggin...
The A.W. Miles Story | Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles - Newbiggin...
Susan Eckholdt
Member
Welsh Zootographer
Well-Known Member
Llannerch Park and Zoo Gardens, St Asaph in north Wales which was open from (I think) the early 1960s to early 1970s. Never been there but I was born in St Asaph during that timeframe. 
Welsh Zootographer
Well-Known Member
Liverpool Zoo which closed in 1897. One of the ticket booths still stands on Rice Lane in Walton and is now a pizza takeaway shop.
More details here: WALTON'S ZOO - Liverpool Hidden History
More details here: WALTON'S ZOO - Liverpool Hidden History
Liverpool Zoo which closed in 1897. One of the ticket booths still stands on Rice Lane in Walton and is now a pizza takeaway shop.
More details here: WALTON'S ZOO - Liverpool Hidden History
Thank you for sharing this! Very interesting, I had no idea!
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
At Hamerton during 2019, we hope to open a display on modern zoo history - during 2019. Our initial plans might feel a little 'dumbed-down' to the expert, but we have to link the displays to our catchment population - and have to start somewhere! We hope to have three main themes - firstly expanded displays of zoo related toys, models and model animals from the 20th century, many of which well illustrate the zoo architecture and the species kept in their era - secondly, zoo exhibits which are unknown to the general public today, such as the elephant rides, chimps tea-parties, penguin parades etc of yesterday, and thirdly a display of graphic material and artifacts (where possible) displaying the closed (and often already forgotten) collections of our catchment area, showing our visitors what happened here in the recent past and how Zoos influenced the lives of local people through the generations.. Many of these were a major part of my own child-hood and thus eventually influenced the Hamerton collection and direction, you see today - and none of this appears to be known by our general visitors.
Our 'catchment area' list covers a considerable number of collections in the east of England, which are - in no particular order:
Cromer Zoo
Cromer Birdland
Sherringham Zoo
Kelling Park Aviaries
Thorney Wildlife Park, Peterborough
Norfolk Wildlife Park and (Ornamental) Pheasant Trust
Peakirk Waterfowl Gardens
Norton Bird Gardens
The Otter Trust - Bungay
Basildon Zoo
Mole Hall Wildlife Park
Stagsden Bird Gardens
Lilford Hall
Kilverstone New World Wildlife Park
Flamingo Gardens - Weston Underwood
Melchbourne Bird Gardens
Pheonix Tropical Birdland - Cowbit, Peterborough
Clopton Bird Gardens - near Oundle
Brambles Pheasantries, Houghton near St Ives
Springfields Gardens, Spalding
Northampton Zoological Gardens
Guilsborough Grange
Coton Manor
Holdenby Hall Falconry
Shuttleworth Falconry Centre
Long Sutton Butterfly/Wildlife Park
Stapleford Lion Reserve
Wellingborough Zoo
Wicksteed Park's pets coner / childrens zoo
This draws a 'sort of' radius around Hamerton which excludes Zoos like the Verulanium British collection at St Albans and Southam as a bit too distant for our catchment population - and we have to draw the line somewhere, for the start at least - but have I missed any from within the ring?
I personally visited all those listed in bold, either with my parents or as a new driver. We are searching for illustrative material and artifacts suitable for a public display, to enlarge the current collections.
Our 'catchment area' list covers a considerable number of collections in the east of England, which are - in no particular order:
Cromer Zoo
Cromer Birdland
Sherringham Zoo
Kelling Park Aviaries
Thorney Wildlife Park, Peterborough
Norfolk Wildlife Park and (Ornamental) Pheasant Trust
Peakirk Waterfowl Gardens
Norton Bird Gardens
The Otter Trust - Bungay
Basildon Zoo
Mole Hall Wildlife Park
Stagsden Bird Gardens
Lilford Hall
Kilverstone New World Wildlife Park
Flamingo Gardens - Weston Underwood
Melchbourne Bird Gardens
Pheonix Tropical Birdland - Cowbit, Peterborough
Clopton Bird Gardens - near Oundle
Brambles Pheasantries, Houghton near St Ives
Springfields Gardens, Spalding
Northampton Zoological Gardens
Guilsborough Grange
Coton Manor
Holdenby Hall Falconry
Shuttleworth Falconry Centre
Long Sutton Butterfly/Wildlife Park
Stapleford Lion Reserve
Wellingborough Zoo
Wicksteed Park's pets coner / childrens zoo
This draws a 'sort of' radius around Hamerton which excludes Zoos like the Verulanium British collection at St Albans and Southam as a bit too distant for our catchment population - and we have to draw the line somewhere, for the start at least - but have I missed any from within the ring?
I personally visited all those listed in bold, either with my parents or as a new driver. We are searching for illustrative material and artifacts suitable for a public display, to enlarge the current collections.
Possibly two of the biggest "losses" to the UK zoological landscape in the opinion both of myself and many others - certainly these two are among those most often mentioned in such discussions
both rather before my time, sadly.
@TeaLovingDave If it makes you feel any better, I nearly visited Kilverstone as a child but it was decided we'd go to Banham instead as it was a "proper" zoo. I was only 6 at the time so didn't realise what I was missing until many years later... 
Mind you, even Banham had a fair few treasures at the time so you cannot complain 
Susan Eckholdt
Member
Yes, you missed a magical experience! After we found it (quite by accident after making a wrong turning) we decided that we must buy a house as close to it as possible. Lord and Lady Fisher refused to sell us any of their Falabella miniature horses at the time (1980) as they wanted to remain exclusive. It was not until 1991 when the zoo went bankrupt that we were able to purchase some.@TeaLovingDave If it makes you feel any better, I nearly visited Kilverstone as a child but it was decided we'd go to Banham instead as it was a "proper" zoo. I was only 6 at the time so didn't realise what I was missing until many years later...
Some of you might have visited the Kilverstone Zoo page on our website but there is quite a bit on the 'UK Archives' page too and a bit on 'History' page - still that's only for Falabella enthusiasts - no kinkajous!!
I'll definitely come and see that!
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Yes indeed TLD, I would certainly agree with that - purely my personal opinions below:Possibly two of the biggest "losses" to the UK zoological landscape in the opinion both of myself and many others - certainly these two are among those most often mentioned in such discussions
Kilverstone had the most incredible accumulation of species, and eclipsed Banham somewhat for several years - and had a beautiful setting, up there with the Cotswold Wildlife Park, potentially.. As private owners, we met the Fishers several times and found them very gracious, once inviting us into the hall for tea, taken in one of the back kitchens. Norfolk Wildlife Park was earlier, I visited as a child with my family, and met Philip Wayre on one occasion in the private waterfowl area near the house. That was in its hey-day with the full European animal collection, and regular media coverage and appearances - a major player in its day.
The rest of my list rather falls into two groups, with Stagsden, Kelling and Flamingo Gardens, standing head and shoulders above most of the rest. Stagsden was a little scrappy by modern standards and offered minimal public facilities, but was owned and run by people who knew their birds backwards and had some major successes - Flamingo Gardens was a phenomenal private bird collection in its day, but the international rarities were always mixed in with a good scattering of domestics, which always lowered the tone a little - Kelling I only visited as a tourist with my family, but I remember it being stunning, beautifully neat and with an incredible bird collection, especially pheasants, lories and lorikeets. Lilford of course had history on its side, and even the most recent re-incarnation was well done, well kept with a scattering of nice species and good results.
The others in the east were a mixed bag. Peakirk was always something or a poor-relation and never really received support and investment from Slimbridge, Birdland was nice, but too short-lived, and some of the rest were really quite dreadful, even for their day!
You should have made a point of being born earlier, TLD, if only fir the Beech Martens and Susliks @ Great Witchingham.Possibly two of the biggest "losses" to the UK zoological landscape in the opinion both of myself and many others - certainly these two are among those most often mentioned in such discussions