Dungannon zoo provides free viewing of animals
For over 30 years Huron County
residents, as well as visitors, have been able to enjoy visiting with exotic
animals, all without charge.
The Dungannon Zoo is located on
Hawkins Road, just west of County Road 1 between Nile and Dungannon.
Here in spacious enclosures on both
sides of the road, you’ll find llamas, alpacas, elk, goats and deer. Swimming in ponds you’ll see swans and ducks and, dropping in
from the wild, Canada Geese.
The park-like zoo was created in the
mid-1980s by Harry and Gerda Burgsma who had a poultry farm on the land. Harry
Burgsma dug ponds in a swampy area which attracted waterfowl. Later he fenced
in an area and added deer to keep the grass down.
Soon people began to stop on the
roadside to see the animals and the collection grew, including zebras and a camel
at one time.
The collection of animals isn’t
quite so broad today but there is still an opportunity to get close to animals
you’ll seldom see elsewhere.
To get to the zoo go to Carlow on
County Road 25 and turn north on County Road 1 (left if you’re coming from
Goderich, right if from Blyth). Go north through Nile and turn west on the
first sideroad, Hawkins Road.