It’s a project that began in 2015 and now we’re just a few weeks away from the grand opening of the new expanded Grizzly Bear exhibit at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo. That grand opening be will part of the June Jaunt festivities in Great Bend on June 2 as the public will have their first opportunity to view the grizzly bears in their new environment.

The new look includes a new pond with running water, training wall, zip line, permanent climbing tree, and shade structures.

Zoo Curator Sara Hamlin is happy to see the completion of the project that has presented some challenges.

Sara Hamlin Audio

Hamlin says the three young bears along with the senior member of the clan Max have had a chance to test drive their new surroundings, and as you can imagine, they have liked the change.

Sara Hamlin Audio

The Zoo will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 2 and the first 150 kids in the gate will receive a free stuffed animal.

There will also be a ribbon cutting for the exhibit at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 31 and members of the Great Bend Zoological Society will get a sneak peek at the new enclosure on Friday, June 1.