HOUSTON, Minn. – The International Owl Center in Houston is moving. Karla Bloem, director, announced plans for a new home by 2025 at the Trailhead Park bandshell, nearer the Root River. The center’s home has been a flamboyantly owl-decorated historic storefront downtown on East Cedar Street. Bloem said the Cedar Street site has served the center well but more space is need, The plan is two structures:
> Main building. For rotating exhibits of owl art, biological and cultural displays, program rooms, a prep room for food and specimens, and s gift shop. Resident owls will have a aviary outside and adjacent to program rooms. Currently the “owl ambassadors” reside off-site and “commute” to work, Bloem said. This aviary will house four to six species of owls that are not adapted to the local climate. One portion will beexposed to the weather. A second portion wil be climate-controlled. “The owls can choose if they want ambient or controlled temperatures, depending on their own personal preferences” Bloem said. The public can view the owls in either portion, she said.
> Walk-through aviaries. Six walk-through aviaries in the park will allow visitors to view owls adapted to the local climate in naturally vegetated enclosures with nothing between them and the owls.Visitors literally will walk through the side of the enclosures.
Bloem said most of the Trailhead Prk property was acquired in 2020. An agreement the City of is almost complete for a parcel for the walk-through aviaries.
The LaCrescent building contactor firm Wieser Brothers is in charge of construction. Weiser has engaged DSGW for the architectural design.
Outgrown home. On Highway 16 through Houston.
Aviaries in the park. Plans unclude alk-through interior and exterior owl residences.
Verbatim
Bloem: “We envision offering the opportunity for people to spend select evenings with the owls, after dark, so they can experience the owls when they wake up and start hooting, tooting and trilling,”
Bloem. Plans unveiled at weekend’s International Owl Festival in Houston.