Town Manager Rick Ledwith has confirmed that a new Animal Control facility will be constructed at the end of Brixton Street, on the site where the existing facility is located.

By Ronni Newton

The condition of West Hartford’s existing Animal Control facility – and plans for the location of a new facility – have been topics under discussion for several years, and Town Manager Rick Ledwith said Thursday that a final decision has now been made for the new state-of-the-art building to be constructed at 34-38 Brixton Street, on land already cleared next to the existing structure.

Ledwith told We-Ha.com that he has been meeting with town staff, and working to balance the needs of several town departments for use of the existing Public Works campus on Brixton Street, as well las two recently-purchased parcels – 705 Oakwood Avenue and 12 Brixton Street.

“This particular project is important to all of us,” Ledwith said Thursday evening at a meeting of the Town Council’s Public Works, Facilities and Sustainability Committee. “It’s important to our Council, it’s important to our residents,” he said.

The existing Animal Control facility is inadequate, outdated, and out of compliance with state regulations. While initial plans, announced in early 2022, were in the works to rebuild Animal Control at the current 34-38 Brixton Street site – although further back from the road – the town then changed course and decided to instead construct the brand new facility just up the street at the corner of Brixton Street and Oakwood Avenue, on one of the two parcels that the town purchased in the fall of 2022.

The 705 Oakwood Avenue parcel still houses the building that was the Cunningham Supply showroom and warehouse, constructed in 1944, and it became apparent that before building on that site, there was a need for remediation of environmental hazards. Ledwith said Thursday that soil samples at 12 Brixton Street also indicate the need for some remediation – and any remediation would just delay the process even more.

Ledwith said decisions have now been made, with the input of the director of Public Works and the police and fire chiefs, about the best location for Animal Control, as well as a fuel station, fire tower, impoundment lot, and transfer station. The transfer station, he said, was the biggest challenge, but after conferring with the team, and the town’s consultants, it has been determined that there will be enough space for the transfer station without incorporating the current Animal Control site.

“Hallelujah,” said resident Debbie Sheridan when she learned of the plans to keep Animal Control at its existing location. Sheridan, the owner of owner of Debbie’s4Dogs LLC and a certified dog trainer also known as an advocate for animals, has often noted the abysmal conditions of the current Animal Control facility in Facebook posts. She has continued to push for the town to take action without further delay, and many others in the community have indicated they agree and have pledged their support of grassroots efforts.

“Of course I’m thrilled,” Sheridan said Thursday night. “It’s going to be right where it’s supposed to be,” she said. Sheridan had worried that relocating the Animal Control facility to the corner of Oakwood Avenue and Brixton Street would be noisier and more stressful for the already-stressed animals that are housed in the facility.

The space has already been cleared at the end of Brixton Street. “This plan will allow us to move much faster from a construction standpoint since we won’t have any delays with remediation,” Ledwith said. The plans are to make just a few final tweaks to the design plans and go out to bid within the month, and begin construction in early 2025 when the weather clears.

“We are good to go,” Ledwith told We-Ha.com.

Along with the transfer station, the existing Public Works campus currently houses the fire department’s training tower – which has been condemned by a structural engineer and is no longer in use. It’s in the process of being demolished, Bob Palmer, director of Plant and Facilities Services, said during Thursday night’s Public Works, Facilities and Sustainability Committee meeting, and the design process for a replacement tower is getting underway. According to Ledwith, the new fire tower will remain in the same location and will be slightly taller but utilize the same footprint.

The existing Public Works campus also currently houses an impoundment lot, but that will be moved to 12 Brixton Street. A fueling station, that was going to be on Brixton Street, will instead be constructed at 705 Oakwood Avenue, where there will also be parking for Public Works staff. An existing garage on that land will be retained, and used by the police department.

There are plans under discussion for a fire and police department training center, and that could be located at 12 Brixton Street. Palmer said that facility has not yet been budgeted and will be added to the town’s Capital Improvement Program.

Palmer agreed that the plans announced Thursday night are the “best fit,” and the best way to expedite all of the projects.

The town has set aside $2 million in the CIP for construction of the new Animal Control facility, and Ledwith hopes that will fully fund the project. “If we need more, we’ll go to the Council,” he told We-Ha.com.

Sheridan said this is the right decision, and is thankful to other town residents, including Andrea Stone, who set up the “Friends of the West Hartford Pound” Facebook page a few weeks ago to help keep the issue in the spotlight. “This was truly a community effort and that I am so grateful for all the caring people who jumped in with both feet to be a voice for the dogs,” Sheridan said.

What will the new Animal Control facility include?

The current cinder block Animal Control facility, built in 1971, is roughly 1,000 square feet, and the new structure will be roughly 5,500 square feet.

It will include a formal lobby with ADA-compliant restrooms, a kitchen for preparing food for the animals – which is requirement of the state – and 10 dog kennels with indoor and outdoor space. In addition, there will be three isolation pens for dogs that will include indoor and outdoor areas.

The facility will have a cattery that will include 15-16 cages for housing cats, and there will also be an isolation area for cats. A secure drop-off area will have separate entrances for dogs and cats.

There will be space for proper food storage separate from the kitchen, an office, and plenty of space for general storage.

Animal Control’s current building has heating, but fans are the only source of cooling. The new facility will have a complete HVAC system with air conditioning.

While the intent is not for the animals brought to the facility to remain for a long stay, a very large multipurpose room will allow ample space for the public to meet and interact with animals that become available for adoption.

The existing building will be demolished after the new one is completed.

In the meantime, Ledwith said he will also be meeting with members of the community to discuss some short-term improvements that can be made to the current Animal Control facility. That meeting will likely be held on Sept. 17, he said.

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