The new headquarters for Game and Fish’s Cody Office looks snazzy – with two stories dedicated to housing the office’s staff and increasing community outreach.
The latest update on the new office was provided to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission during their last meeting, held Wednesday over Zoom. John Kennedy, Deputy Director of the Cody Regional Office, gave the presentation on how the project is progressing.
In summary: everything is on schedule. Yesterday was the deadline for interested contractors to bid on the project after they attended a virtual site visit earlier this month.
The contractor ultimately chosen for the new project will work to break ground in February 2021 and complete the project by early summer of 2022.
The costs for the construction have been estimated at anywhere between $5 and $10 million – the only loose ends are the necessary amount of water for the new facility and any required access roads.
A rendering for the new construction has been released, showing an impressive two-story structure designed by Plan One Architects of Cody.
That structure will contain the offices of the 30 full and part-time staff currently employed at the Cody Office, in addition to a meeting room and shop for vehicles and equipment.
Game and Fish’s Cody office will ultimately be moving closer to Cody. The Commission finalized the purchased of a 21.71-acre lot off the Belfry Highway last year for $350 thousand. It’s just one mile north of town.
The existing office is south of Cody along Highway 120, on land owned by Park County.
Increasing accessibility and education have been priorities of the new construction since its inception. The new Cody Regional Office will have spaces dedicated to meetings and classes for regional hunters and increase Game and Fish’s outreach in northwest Wyoming.
Also of note at the Commission meeting was the presentation of a Service Award to Cody Region Game Warden Matt Lentsch, honoring his 30 years of service to Wyoming Game and Fish his work in the Wildlife Division.
