BENTONVILLE -- A long-awaited city project will hold a groundbreaking Wednesday.
A 6,500-square-foot, city-owned animal services facility will be built on a triangle-shaped property at the intersection of Southwest I and Southwest 41st streets. An event will be held at the site across from the Community Center beginning at 3 p.m.
"There have been a lot of passionate people show up at City Council and talk about the need" for such a facility, Park and Recreation Director David Wright said. "We are a town that is growing, but also growing up. City governments across the country usually include an animal shelter. If we want to be the community we say we are, this is part of the infrastructure."
Tim Robinson, Ward 1 councilman, agreed with Wright.
"Bentonville is now to the size where residents expect this, especially from a city that has so many other amenities for the town our size," he said.
Bentonville's population went from 35,301 to 54,164 from 2010 to 2020 -- a growth rate of 53%. No other city in Northwest Arkansas with 10,000 or more population had a growth rate half that high except Fayetteville at 28%, census figures show.
The shelter will be in Ward 3, where Bill Burckart and Aubrey Patterson are the City Council representatives.
Burckart spearheaded a resolution passed by the council in 2018 that formed a steering committee to review the idea of an animal shelter. Feedback from residents wanting such an amenity started long before that, he said.
"We are excited about it," he said. "It has been a long time coming."
Council approved a construction agreement with CR Crawford on July 13.
Cost is estimated at $3.56 million. The money will come from the city's general fund, Wright said. Construction should cost between $3.15 million and $3.25 million with the remaining money going toward furniture, fixtures and equipment, he said.
Wright expects construction to begin 30 to 45 days after the groundbreaking. When the building will be finished is another question, he said.
"Normally, this would be an eight- to 10-month build," Wright said. "But in today's broken supply chain, I don't want to make anyone any promises."
Residents will be able to adopt a pet, register a pet, get information on responsible pet ownership and volunteer at the facility, according to its website.
"We will also offer volunteer and foster programs as well," said Ali Worley, city Animal Services manager. "One important service we will provide is microchipping and registration. Having your pet microchipped and your contact information up to date is vital in helping us reunite citizens with their pets quickly. In addition to these, we will offer various events such as pet play sessions, where citizens can come in to play or cuddle our adoptable pets, and a reading program, where school-aged children can read to dogs or cats."
The city now pays $7,000 per month to Centerton for animal services and $100 for each dog taken to the Centerton shelter at 10404 Arkansas 279.
Cody Wilson, Centerton animal control director, said Bentonville has brought an average of 17 dogs a month this year to the facility through October.
More News
NoneWeb watch
For more information about city animal services in Bentonville, visit https://www.bentonvillearpets.com.