It now appears the Battlefords Humane Society is looking outside the boundaries of the city of North Battleford for its new animal shelter building.
According to Dr. Shawn Haas, a North Battleford veterinarian and president of the board of the humane society, they are now looking at a site in the RM of North Battleford. They are considering a site on the west side of Highway 4 at the north end of the city, near LOL Grooming and Outback RV.
Haas made an appearance at a meeting of Battleford town council members Monday to provide an update on the humane society’s campaign for a new facility, to which the town has contributed financially, along with annual funding for operations. Shelter manager Michelle Spark was also in attendance.
Haas told council a bid was put in and a discretionary use application has been approved at the RM, and they are now doing some tests for water at the site.
The animal shelter current operates out of a building at 751-114th Street in North Battleford. Efforts towards a new facility have been ongoing for the last number of years.
Haas explained the humane society had previously been negotiating with the City of North Battleford for a facility on Fyfe Avenue in the Parsons Industrial Park.
But it was “not a design of a relationship that the humane society wanted,” Haas said. The city was going to sell them the property for a dollar and provide an operating grant and capital grant. But Haas explained that if at any point in time the humane society stopped providing the city pound service, “the property and all the facilities constructed would have reverted back to the city.”
“Considering we were looking at putting a million and a half dollars into the project the humane society board did not feel that was appropriate.”
Instead, the humane society is now looking at a fee-for-service arrangement with the city instead of an operating grant. In return the city agreed to allow the humane society to go beyond the city’s boundaries for a site. Negotiations are still going on towards the fee for service.
The presentation was mainly informational for council, but the eyebrows of council were raised at the issues the society has been having.
“Don’t we have any lots over here?” was the reaction from Councillor Judy Pruden, suggesting perhaps Battleford might be a good location.
Haas responded that idea was brought up with the city and “it was not taken well,” he said.
“If things fall through we’re a little bit easier to deal with,” was the response from Mayor Ames Leslie.
