The present Southwick Animal Shelter will soon be replaced with a new 2,400 square-foot facility. Officials said the main building, foreground, will be used by the town but the cat shelter, left, and storage units could be sold. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
The Planning Board this week unanimously approved plans to build a 2,400 square-foot animal control facility behind the Southwick police station where the former DPW carriage house was located. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – The town’s dogs and cats in need of shelter – and those taking care of them – will soon have a new space to call their temporary home.
The Planning Board this week unanimously approved plans to build a 2,400 square-foot animal control facility behind the Southwick Police station where the former DPW carriage house was located.
Resident Robert Polverari is donating the completed facility to the town, along with a donation of a fenced dog playground from the family of Tyler Granfield, a town resident who was killed during a work accident last year.
Polverari approached Animal Control officer Tracy Root with the idea last fall, and said he will donate the facility from the ground up.
An animal lover, Polverari is also a builder and designer. He and Root worked closely to design the facility, which includes both indoor and outdoor kennels for dogs, indoor and outdoor space for cats, a quarantine room, adoption room, lobby, office and service area complete with a dishwasher, washer and dryer and sink.
The facility is a dream come true for Root, who has been working in a shed for years.
“I’m ecstatic,” Root said.
“These are my angels,” she added, pointing to the Polverari family. “And the Granfields, too.”
Town Planner Alan Slessler said Polverari is “an amazing man” who worked diligently with his office to get the plans right for easy approval.
Slessler filed the plans with the town Wednesday morning and said there is a 21-day appeal period before any construction can begin.
“We will get started in a couple of weeks,” Polverari said. “After the appeal is over we should start shortly.”
Polverari said he plans to have the facility completed this fall.
“We’re hoping to open in November,” said Root.
The Southwick Animal Shelter will be a dark grey concrete block building with white trim and an asphalt roof. The outdoor kennels will be under the roof, and shrubs will complete the landscape. There will be three parking spaces at the front of the building.
Both the fire and police departments offered their approval of the new facility.
