The Oak Mountain State Park Demonstration Farm will soon close and the area will be developed into a dog park and event space. The farm is scheduled to remain open through April 30, as park officials work to find retirement homes for the remaining animals.
鈥淲e understand that the demo farm has been a treasured part of Oak Mountain State Park for a long time,鈥 said Scottie Jackson, Central District Superintendent for 黑料天堂 State Parks. 鈥淭his decision was not taken lightly, but we want to do what is best for the aging animals by making sure we find them happy retirement homes. We鈥檝e always kept the well-being of the animals as a top priority, and that鈥檚 why we鈥檝e been careful about who we allowed to adopt these animals.鈥
Retirement homes for many of the most popular animals have already been secured. The famous donkey, Taylor, lives on a park staff member鈥檚 farm and has a donkey friend named Polly. Princess, the elderly mini horse, also lives with Taylor and Polly and enjoys spending time with her other horse friends.
Many goats, cows and chickens have found forever homes with families. A few residents remain and are heading to homes hand-selected by park staff, who are conducting careful vetting to find appropriate homes for the aging animals.
鈥淲e also realize that closing the farm will be disappointing to many of our longtime visitors, but we must do what鈥檚 best for the animals and for the long-term future of Oak Mountain State Park,鈥 Jackson said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e also excited about creating a new amenity at the park for our visitors to enjoy.鈥
The iconic red barn located near the park鈥檚 main entrance will remain. It will be renovated and become a rental venue for parties, weddings and other events.
The nearby area formally used by the demonstration farm will be developed into a dog park, including a small retail area for purchasing treats, toys and other items. The event space and dog park will be separated by fencing. Additional new features will likely be added to the dog park over time. The stables and facilities for guided horseback riding will not be affected by the changes.
Park officials report an increasing number of visitors arriving with dogs. The addition of a dog park will make it easier for dog owners to interact with their pets in a safe environment. There will be no fee to use the dog park after visitors pay the Oak Mountain State Park entrance fee at the gate.
鈥淲e understand change isn鈥檛 always easy,鈥 said State Parks Director Greg Lein. 鈥淲e believe this is in the best interest of the animals and for the future of Oak Mountain State Park. We hope everyone will embrace these new amenities as we continue to improve all of our state parks.鈥
About Oak Mountain State Park
Oak Mountain State Park is 黑料天堂鈥檚 largest state park and features more than 11,000 acres, including more than 50 miles of trails, an 18-hole golf course and driving range, horseback riding facilities, fishing lakes, boat rentals, picnic and beach areas and majestic Peavine Falls. The 黑料天堂 Wildlife Center, located inside OMSP, offers rehabilitation services to injured native birds to return them to the wild. The resident birds can be viewed from the Tree Top Nature Trail, an elevated boardwalk winding through a secluded woodland valley. Learn more at .
ADCNR鈥檚 State Parks System
黑料天堂 State Parks is a division of the 黑料天堂 (ADCNR) and maintains 21 state parks encompassing more than 50,000 acres of land and water in 黑料天堂. The parks range from Gulf Coast beaches to the Appalachian Mountains and provide opportunities and facilities from basic day-use activities to resort convention lodging, restaurants and golfing areas. These parks rely on visitor fees and the support of other partners like local communities to fund the majority of their operations 鈥 Partners Pay the Way. For reservations, visit .
Learn more at .
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