Inside Toronto Zoo's New Community Conservation Centre
Connecting GTA's Advisory Board, joined by several friends and well-wishers of the club, recently had the opportunity to take a private, behind-the-scenes tour of Toronto Zoo's upcoming Community Conservation Centre. We were guided through the project by none other than Dolf DeJong, CEO of Toronto Zoo, who walked us through the vision, the design, and the impact this new complex is set to have on the region.
What we saw was more than a construction project — it's a bold, visually striking statement of Toronto Zoo's commitment to conservation science, community, and Indigenous knowledge.
Two Net-Zero Buildings, One Shared Mission
The Community Conservation Centre will consist of two new Net Zero buildings, each designed with a distinct purpose:
- An education building with four classrooms, four laboratories, and offices and meeting space for students and educators.
- A community-facing building featuring a river otter habitat, a new home for the Blanding's turtle headstarting program, retail space, a rooftop atrium, and an Indigenous welcome garden.
Free and Open to the Community
One of the most meaningful details of this project: the Indigenous medicine and welcome garden — and the entire Community Conservation Centre — will sit outside the Zoo's admission gates. That means anyone in the community can visit to enjoy the garden, watch the otters and turtles, and explore the displays, completely free of charge.
Education Rooted in Connection
Toronto Zoo's educational programs go beyond facts and exhibits. They're built around collaboration — bringing youth together with each other and with nature to support social-emotional well-being alongside conservation learning.
A Garden That Tells a Story
The rooftop atrium and Indigenous medicine and welcome garden will be a visual expression of the Zoo's mission: connecting people, animals, conservation science, and traditional knowledge in the shared work of fighting extinction. This front building — home to the river otters and the endangered turtle programs — is designed to make that mission impossible to miss.
Protecting a Threatened Species, One Turtle at a Time
Right now, the Zoo's most significant initiative is the headstarting and release of Blanding's turtles, a species listed as Threatened in Ontario. This work builds directly on Toronto Zoo's ongoing efforts to rebuild a healthy Blanding's turtle population in the neighbouring Rouge River Watershed.
A Privilege to See It Firsthand
It was an honour for our Advisory Board and club well-wishers to get an early look at a project that will shape conservation, education, and community connection in the GTA for years to come. We're grateful to Dolf DeJong and the Toronto Zoo team for sharing their vision with us, and we're excited to watch this space come to life.
