For the love of birds ... help aviary find new home

Hamilton’s beleaguered aviary is running out of time to find a temporary new home.

Last fall, a city report recommended closing the long-standing Westdale bird sanctuary and “rehoming” 65 birds, because the city-leased building was falling apart and was subject to orders from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Bird-loving volunteers appealed for time to find a new home and council voted to do short term repairs at the Oak Knoll Drive aviary that would allow the feathered friends to stay until the end of June 2018.

In an update to supporters, the Friends of the Aviary reported progress on fundraising and attracting volunteers — but no confirmed landing pad for birds.

Volunteer Caitlin Smyth says a scouting committee has scoped out possible locations, but “all would require some renovations” to be brought up to standards.

“We have options, but if someone has a better suggestion we would take a look,” she said.

The group says the current goal is to find an acceptable home for the next five years, while fundraising continues toward a “purpose-built” aviary.

The aviary has been in its Westdale home for 26 years, but the exotic bird sanctuary has existed in Hamilton in one form or another for 90 years, with stops at Dundurn Castle and a former fire hall along the way.

The city estimates $1.5 million is needed to rebuild the current leased home on Royal Botanical Gardens land.

At one time the idea was to move the aviary into rebuilt greenhouses at Gage Park, but that plan fell through.

The group wants volunteers, donors or anyone with leads on useful properties to get in touch at fotaweb2016@gmail.com. The aviary-saving effort also has a website, fortheloveofbirds.ca