Group working to restore former southwest Michigan amusement park and animal sanctuary

By: Shannon Nolan | Visit abc57.com to view video

COLOMA, Mich.—An organizer is working to restore Deer Forest, the popular park that was part of southwest Michigan for over 50 years.

The amusement park and animal sanctuary had gone through some tough years before being forced to shut down in 2015 after allegations of animal abuse.

Now, some folks have started a non-profit to raise money to both purchase the land and restore the southwest Michigan staple’s glory.

“It was the Disneyland of Coloma; it was an animal park, a theme park, a carnival, it was this magical place where you could go with the family or on a field trip with your school; it was a place where you could learn about so many things – animals, the nutrition, where they came from, how to take care of them, and my idea is to bring it back to as original as possible,” said Blair Stuble, organizer of Deer Forest Restoration.

There is currently a GoFundMe where organizers are accepting donations. All proceeds will go to purchasing and restoring Deer Forest.