WOODBRIDGE — Designs for a new animal shelter in Prince William County will be completed next month.
County Public Works Director Thomas Bruun told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that if all goes to plan, the project will be put out to bid early next year and construction could begin as early as June. It should take about two years to build the shelter that is anticipated to cost about $14 million.
When it opens in February 2021, the old shelter next door will be demolished.
A series of “value engineering” decisions, where areas of the planned building like hallways and common rooms are scaled down to save on costs have some residents sounding alarm bells, calling Supervisors’ offices about the project. They’re concerned the shelter won’t be built to the size originally approved by Supervisors in August 2017, and that means it won’t have enough room for both animals and needed volunteers to care for them over the next 40 years, as planned.
“There seem rumors that we’re backing off this project and that it will less serve the need of the animals of the staff,” said Coles District Supervisor Marty Nohe.
Bruun assured officials that the new building is still being designed with 156 double-sided kennels for cats and 56 for dogs. He admitted the square footage of the building has been reduced about 1,200 fewer square feet, from 28,105 down to 26,905.
That means there will be less overflow storage space for stray animals, which are commonplace today’s county animal shelter, according to volunteers who spoke with Potomac Local and attended Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
“There are way more stray animals accepted at the shelter than surrendered animals,” said Ann-Marie Johnson, a who works to help find homes for shelter animals.
Brenda Conway, who also works with the shelter, says the problem is compounded when shelters are unable to take surrendered pets from their owners due to space issues. Those pets end up being released into the wild, she adds.
Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson said rising construction and labor costs are a concern. There is a possibility that a project approved over a year ago could end up costing more than anticipated when contractors submit their bids early next year.
Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors must approve a final construction contract.
“If [the project] came in at twice the cost we would be faced with putting on the shelf or doing something different,” said Christopher Martino, county executive.
Bruun said another cost-saving option on the table is known as “bid alternates,” where some portions of the project could be axed to save money, including leaving a portion of the parking lot unpaved.
The county’s current shelter at 14807 Bristow Road is expected to reach the end of its useful life in 2020.
