After two and a half years...

...the Wildlife in Need Center (WINC) has begun construction of it's new home in Ottawa!

Through a collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha (UW-W), WINC will relocate it's operation to a new, nearly 6000 sq.ft. facility. The new facility is being built at the Field Station managed by UW-W and will become an addition to an existing structure, the Gertrude Sherman building. The Gertrude Sherman building was built in 2000 and houses a classroom and pottery studio. While the current building will remain and the use of the building will stay the same, both the new addition as well as the existing building will provide for expanded learning opportunities for both UW-W students as well as for WINC.  

Construction officially started in October of 2010 and we anticipate a completion date sometime in May 2011 - just in time for our busiest season. WINC currently treats approx. 2100-2500 animals a year.  In the new location, WINC will be able to provide care for a small number of additional patients as well as provide a much more efficient facility for our volunteers helping us care for them. In addition, the facility will allow WINC to expand it's educational programming allowing for on-site education programing, something the center has been unable to do at it's current location. 

Although WINC and UW-W will remain seperate entities, through this collaboration we will be able to enhance many aspects of each other's missions. The recently added research component of our mission will also see added benefits. Proposed research projects will consist primarily of diet research, rehabilitation impact studies on various species and other field research projects both on and off-site. The intern program at the center will also be expanded to include year round learning opportunities in animal care, community outreach, education and research.

Not only will the new center provide an enhanced experience for the wildlife patients and volunteers of the organization, it will also be a showcase for various green building applications, from an advanced storm water recyling program featuring a complete water reclamation system to advanced energy saving design features. In addition, the center will feature a number of unique habitat restoration projects in conjunction with UW-W.

Michael Guzniczak, Executive Director of WINC says "This represents one of the most significant milestones in the organization's 16 year history. [By moving to the UW-Waukesha Field Station] Not only are we able to construct the new state of the art, energy efficient facility, which has been in our plans for nearly 6 years, but we also have a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with UW-W and the rest of the UW System. That collaboration will yield significant success in both our mission and programing as well as the mission of UW-W. [Speaking for WINC] the entire organization could't be more excited."

We hope you're excited to and stay tuned to watch our progress!



Trees being thinned out, relocated and removed at the UW-W Field Station site



Site Clearing began as early as this past summer while actual construction began just last month

Guest Blogger M.G.