Seven weeks after ground breaking, the future home of the DeKalb Animal Coalition’s shelter is under roof and could be completed within six to eight weeks.
Construction has been underway almost daily on the shelter located behind Tenneco Automotive and near the county’s soon to open solid waste transfer station. Mike Foster, a supporter of the effort, said workers have been taking advantage of the recent dry weather to get as much construction done as possible. “Its going really well and moving right along. All the block work is done and the roof and shingles are on the building. Of course we had not had any rain until last night but I don’t think we’ve missed a day of work on it since we started. As you know when you get on the inside the work will slow down a little but its all ready for us to put the outside runs on. That will be the next thing we’ll do. We’ll put the outside runs on, pour the concrete, and do those outside drains. I think the glass doors, the front doors are supposed to be here in ten days. Of course the frames to all the doors are already set in the concrete but the doors will have to be hung and painted. Inside there will be some cabinet work along with the plumbing and electrical work that will have to be done but its moving along. I would say if everything goes well the building should be completed within six weeks or two months at the most, depending upon the weather because when you get down to painting and some of those things its really weather dependant,” said Foster.
“The main building is 70 feet long and 40 feet wide which includes the hallways where the inside pens are but it will be wider on each side where the outside runs will go. When everything is completed, the facility will be 60 feet by about 70 feet. The outside runs or cages will be ten feet long and five feet wide and they will be attached to the building with openings where they (dogs) can go in and out. The outside pens will be built as soon as we get that concrete poured. The concrete will be poured on about a two inch slope, more than normal so you can wash the runs down into a gutter drain,” said Foster.
Dwayne and Cindy Ward are the contractors for the project and the work is being done on a cost plus basis. Foster said the coalition being a non-profit organization also helps keep costs down. “This way we can get the sales tax savings being that the Coalition is a 501c3 organization. Hopefully, it’s going to save approximately $80,000 doing it this way,” said Foster.
If you would like to volunteer or make a donation toward the shelter, contact Marsha Darrah, Sue Puckett Jernigan, or any member of the Coalition. Donations may be made by Pay Pal or at Post Office Box 354.
Archived News & Obituaries