Camp on hold during Oatland Island renovations

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By Brooke Kelley - bio | email

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - The Oatland Island Wildlife Center is in need of a facelift. Renovations at the center located off President Street are set to begin on the main building this summer.

That means summer camp has been canceled for about 600 children who spend a good part of their summer there. But officials at the center say the renovations are needed.

Ceilings falling down, paint chipping off the walls and electrical wire hanging. That's what you'll see on the second floor of the Oatland Island Wildlife Center's main building.

"It was built in the 1920s and gone through updates because of different uses but never attention paid to its structure," said director of the center Chris Gentile.

Gentile took us on a tour of the building. "The second floor hasn't been used in quite some time so it's gonna need a lot of work," he said.

Even though crews will be working on the main building, the animal exhibits will be still open but there won't be any summer camps. That means a big inconvenience for many parents and a big loss of cash for the center.

"It's a big hit for us this year not only because of the money, but all the friends that we have made that really rely on Oatland Island," said Gentile.

Friends like Melissa Coggeshall who won't be able to visit the main building or enroll her kids in summer camp.

"I'm glad we will still be able to see the animals but I think the main building is interesting and it's exciting, I'm gonna miss it, having it closed," said Coggeshall.

"Now the construction project will take about 10 months to complete and hopefully it will be open for summer camp next year and it will offer students more opportunities and a lot more space," said Gentile. "Up to seven classrooms so we can have extra programs in the summer, events and even rentals."

Which is good news for Coggeshall who says having a new state of the art facility will be worth the wait. "It should be phenomenal," she said.

The exhibits will remain open while they renovate and they will have a temporary building for rest rooms and a gift shop.

If you want to get a peak of the new renovation plans or more information on Oatland Island, click here.