Regional Animal Control Facility in South Windsor Could Open in November

The Tyler Regional Animal Control Shelter on Sullivan Avenue is nearing completion, according to the South Windsor chief of police.

Chief Matthew Reed, who has been overseeing the construction/renovation of the facility, said in an interview Wednesday that the work was about 80 percent complete.

Reed said that workers had abated the asbestos, installed new lighting in the building, poured the concrete for the light poles, removed the building’s old boiler and are working on connecting a new one. Nearly the entire outside of the facility has been painted as well.

“They’ve done a lot,” Reed said.

Reed hopes that the facility - which has 35 kennels for dogs, a room for cats and other small animals, reception rooms, public viewing rooms and an outdoor exercise and training area - will be ready to open sometime in mid-November.

Reed said that some additional issues were discovered once work started inside the building, accounting for a delay in the completion of the project, which was targeted to be finished on Oct. 8, as well as some cost overruns.

The total cost of the project, according to Reed, will be around $500,000; the project was initially going to be covered by $435,000 in state grant money.

The $70,000 to $90,000 overrun will be divided up between the three towns - South Windsor, Manchester and East Hartford - that will use the facilty.

For the time being, the South Windsor police department will use some funds received through asset forfeitures from the East Central Narcotics Task Force to cover the cost overruns. Donations to the police department’s community service fund may also be used, Reed said.

The town will then look to recoup the proportional share of the outlay from East Hartford and Manchester, possibly over a period of time, Reed said.

"The money we have spent has been well spent," Reed said. "Any additional money that we spent is for doing what's right."

In addition, at the South Windsor Town Council meeting on Monday, Town Manager Matthew Galligan said that the agreement between the three towns was being finalized and a formula was being ironed out to ensure that each town was being charged the appropriate amount for the number of dogs housed at the facility.

A similar arrangement was being worked out for capital costs as well.

"I'll be glad when we cut the ribbon," Reed said.