[Mackenzie’s Admin]

New animal shelter for Ionia

Diana Henderson
Staff Writer

IONIA – After two years of planning, the Ionia County Board of Commissioners have found a site and are raising money to build a new animal shelter.

"About two years ago the county decided that as far as facility improvements one of the most needy facilities was the animal shelter," Ionia County Commissioner Amanda Powell explained. "We decided to start looking into building a new animal shelter."

She said the current shelter at 275 Sprague Road was built in the 1950s and no longer meets the county’s needs.

"It really was designed to be a very short-term, temporary holding facility," Ionia County Administrator Mark Howe said. "It’s outdated in terms of ventilation and being able to keep it clean, and it’s outdated for the number of animals we have coming into it."

In 2007 the county set aside $100,000 to begin a fund to build a new shelter. About five months later Sparrow Hospital in Lansing approached the city and was interested in purchasing some of its land.

Howe said that after a lengthy process the county worked out a deal with Sparrow and traded 14.86 acres of land for 15.38 acres plus $150,000 and the construction of a road that will lead to the new shelter off David Highway, just outside the Ionia city limits in Orange Township.

The current shelter is 2,500 square feet and Powell said the new one will be 6,000 square feet. Plans call for the facility to cost between $500,000 and $750,000.

Powell said Sparrow wants to use the land it traded for to build an ambulatory care center.

"It was for that one purpose we were interested in the land transfer because it’s going to help lots of people for a long time," she said, adding that it took cooperation from the city, county and Orange Township to make the deal possible.

Howe said the transaction with Sparrow was finalized Oct. 24.

"The challenge with any project is coming up with the money for it and figuring out where we want to put it," Howe said. "We are well on our way to funding it and we have a site."

Howe said that nearly $300,000 has been set aside to build the new animal shelter. That includes the $150,000 the county received from Sparrow, $100,000 the county budgeted for the project and another $41,000 raised by community members.

A committee made up of community members currently is working to raise the remaining $200,000 to $450,000 for the project.

"We’re looking forward to continuing with the process," said Howe. "We hope to break ground next spring. We plan to spend this winter getting all of the preliminary work done and hopefully we will be able to get moving on this soon."

[Mackenzie’s Admin]

At first I was excited about the new animal shelter. But after reading that $200,000 or more is needed to get it built I wonder where the rest of the money will come from. I get so angry when I read about movie/TV stars spending $2,500 for a purse or watch ! My first thought is how much that money could help a homeless animal. Are wallets carried any better in that purse than a $10 one ? ! Is time easier to tell time on that expensive watch than on a cheap Timex ? ! The wrong people are rich !!!!!!!!!

[Mackenzie’s Admin]

I think $300,000 could build a pretty nice shelter, better than the one they are in right now. At least get it started and add on in the future. I guess I just don’t understand either.

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