HOLLAND TWP. — Nelis' Dutch Village wasted no time reintroducing its furry friends to the public following a devastating overnight fire that destroyed the historic amusement park's petting barn.
Less than two weeks after the fire, families fawned over bunnies and babies in the business' temporary petting tent. The tent, plus two temporary barns, will keep the animals on-site this season.
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"We won't have the size structure we had before," owner Joe Nelis told The Sentinel. "So, it won't be as many animals, but in general, it'll be the same experience."
Nelis and his brother hope to rebuild.
"The tent and mini-barns are currently our plan for this season," Nelis said. "It'll take a while to get through the process with insurance, and we need to know how much money we have to work with. But, in general, I think we've decided, if we can pull it off, we want to try to restore the barn as close to the original as we can."
A group of locals rushed to save the animals during a fully involved barn fire early Thursday, June 9. The fire was discovered by bystanders mid-workout at nearby Planet Fitness.
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One local resident, John Westra, told The Sentinel he rescued five sheep, three goats, two lambs and a llama. According to his son, Westra pulled onto the shoulder of U.S.-31 after seeing the fire, grabbed a bag of tools from his car and attempted to cut through the fence with wire cutters. When that failed, he used his bare hands.
Nelis' Dutch Village — located at 12350 James St. in Holland Township — has been a staple for visitors for decades. The business recently underwent renovations, including the removal of several buildings near James Street and the creation of a new parking lot.
The changes are part of a five-year plan for new buildings and attractions.
— Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at cassandra.lybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.