Columbia’s furry, four-legged friends might soon have new spaces to play and receive veterinary care.
Initial plans for the use of a donated 47-acre plot of land on the city’s west side include a new facility for the Central Missouri Humane Society and a dog park. The tentative plans also recommend using some of the space for a new fire station.
In order to stay compliant with city fire code, the facilities would require a water main extension to be built along Strawn Road at an estimated cost of $580,000.
The Columbia City Council will discuss how to proceed with the area’s development at its Monday meeting.
The land was donated to the city in March by Larry Potterfield, CEO of MidwayUSA, and his wife, Brenda Potterfield.
Joe Ritter, president of the Humane Society’s board of directors, said they have been looking to update their space for some time.
“We had a needs assessment done that stated, to no one’s surprise, that we needed a new facility,” Ritter said.“There’s not enough space, the facility has aged, there’s poor air filtration systems, and the veterinary facility is not really adequate to take care of the animals,” Ritter said.
When the property came into the city’s possession, Ritter and others with the Humane Society contacted the city about potentially using the land for a new location.
The society is currently headquartered on north-central Columbia’s Big Bear Boulevard. The proposed facility would be more than double the size of the current one. It would also feature an outdoor running area for the animals that’s triple the size of their current space.
“We thought that piece of land would be a nice fit,” Ritter said. “Once we saw the location, we did our due diligence, and went through the appropriate channels with the city.”
It is unclear what the cost of the new facility would be. The society is hoping to begin fundraising once the council approves the plans, according to the meeting memo.
“We’re extremely excited about the possibility. It would be an asset to the community and an opportunity to provide animal care and education,” Ritter said.
The dog park concept was proposed since the floodplain bordering Strawn Road was considered “undesirable” for development, according to the memo.
Potential uses for the remaining 22 acres of the 47-acre parcel are undetermined.