The Willow Park Zoo: growth and change for 46 years

Jill Thomas remembers when her grandmother took her to the Willow Park Zoo the first time. She was about three years old. It was the early 70s and the zoo had just opened.

“We quickly learned not to get too close to the goats or they’d eat your clothes,” Thomas said. “We loved it when Grandma May took us to the zoo. It’s such a cute little zoo. So many good memories there.”

20 years later, Jill Thomas, moved back to Logan with her small family as she studied at Utah State University.

“Of course, I took my kids back to the Willow Park Zoo when they were little,” Thomas said. “How could I not? I wanted my kids to have memories of running around the zoo just like I do. It’s a tradition.”

Since its opening in 1970, the Willow Park Zoo has been a beloved local treasure as generations have grown up visiting the zoo on field trips, family outings, and various other activities. Today, the zoo showcases 63 species with almost 300 individual animals.

“Everyone that we know of has fond memories of it and that's what we're trying to keep going,” said Troy Cooper, the director of the Willow Park Zoo.

Initially, the zoo, owned by the City of Logan, was intended to be an aviary, home to waterfowl — ducks, geese and spawn. However, in the first years after its opening, several mammal species were added to incorporate more species.

In 2013, the City of Logan sold the zoo, making the Willow Park Zoo a non profit charitable organization. Since then, Cooper has worked to make the zoo a more influential part of the community, tripling its education and outreach programs and planning events to target college students.

“Our zoo is about people, helping the community, building and creating new opportunities for students, and strengthening families,” Cooper said.

In February, the zoo began advertising date nights, known as Woo at the Zoo, which encouraged couples to spend time at the zoo.

“We’re a nice cheap date,” Cooper said.

The Willow Park Zoo has also increased their work with local schools and senior citizen homes through field trips and presentations in the past few years. The zoo has expanded its work with local Boy Scouts troops by providing merit badge certification.

“We want to expand our reach,” Cooper said. “The purpose of Willow Park Zoo is to cause positive change in people’s lives, one animal at a time, for generations.”

Jill Thomas looks forward to the day that she will be able to bring her grandchildren to the zoo, just as her grandma did in the 70s.