Renovations at Oak Hammock Marsh Wetland Discovery Centre will bring new exhibits, improved efficiency and interactive experiences.
The changes have been underway since 2023, with the goal of modernizing the building and improving visitor experience.
Renovations include all new exhibits, an event venue, conference centre and a revamped café.
“We’ve redone basically the whole Wetland Discovery Centre,” said Jacques Bourgeois, who does marketing and communications for Oak Hammock Marsh.
“We changed all of the exhibits except for the diorama, that’s the only piece we kept.”
Prior to the renovations, the Wetland Discovery Centre was considered one of the greenest buildings in all of Manitoba. However, due to the building’s age, the technology needed updating.
Bourgeois noted with the new transformation, the facility is going to be even more environmentally friendly than before.
“With the new renovation, we’re actually increasing our efficiency by about 50 per cent, so it’s actually going to make a big difference as well for the environment,” he said.
Despite all the changes, the mission of the Wetland Discovery Centre remains consistent – teaching the public about the importance of the wetland ecosystems.
“We want to make sure that people understand that wetlands are important, not just for birds, but for us as well,” Bourgeois said.
“But [people will learn] in a whole new way, a much more interactive way. People will get to experience it, to do it, to see it, to taste it, to feel it. So, it’s going to be fascinating and it’s all new.”
Oak Hammock Marsh provides continuous updates on the renovations online.
-With files from CTV’s Zachary Kitchen.
