New animal shelter on the way for Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS - It's final: the city is getting a new $4.5 million animal shelter, to be built at Kirkwood Community College.

After much discussion, the council unanimously approved the Flood Recovery Committee's recommendation to move ahead on the animal shelter using sales-tax money. The new shelter will become a reality with the help of up to $3.5 million in revenue from the city's 1-percent local-option sales tax for flood recovery.

No one from the public spoke out in opposition to the city's plans for the shelter during the public comment period of the council meeting.

The council announced months ago that it would use some of the remaining local-option sales tax revenue to fill funding gaps if necessary to replace three flood-damaged buildings, the library, the central fire station and the animal shelter.

Police Chief Graham told the council last night that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed only to provide the city about $1 million in disaster assistance to rebuild the shelter. FEMA is not willing to provide extra funds to relocate the former, flood-damaged shelter from an out-of-date facility off Old River Road SW on the far edge of the city, he said.

Graham said Kirkwood Community College will donate the land upon which the shelter will be built on Kirkwood's Cedar Rapids campus in exchange for the inclusion of a 900-square-foot classroom in the new shelter building. Kirkwood's veterinary-tech students are expected to use the shelter for training.

Graham told City Council member Kris Gulick that the city should be able to operate the new, 13,400-square-foot facility at the same or less cost than the city's old shelter.

Construction on the new building is slated to start in 2012. The shelter currently operates from temporary quarters at 2109 North Towne Lane NE.