Humane Society breaks ground on new facility
Life is going to get better for people and pets in the area, now that construction of a new Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS) facility is officially underway.
At last week’s ground breaking ceremony for the David and Helen Capin Regional Centre for Pets and People, Campaign Manager Erin Tuckey said, “This is a place where the bond between humans and pets will be strengthened and celebrated for years to come.”
The 19,000-square-foot facility on Sandford Fleming Drive in Collingwood will replace the current building that has been bursting at the seams, servicing far more pets than it was originally designed to handle. The new facility will be equipped to shelter 5,500 pets and provide more than 6,700 spay/neuter surgeries per year. It is also expected to engage more than 6,000 youth in hands-on learning through humane education programs, and welcome more than 30,000 visitors per year. The facility will service not just Collingwood, but the entire southern Georgian Triangle including Clearview, the Town of the Blue Mountains and Wasaga Beach.
Michael Gallant, of Unity Design Studio, has been involved with the project since a feasibility study was launched in 2017. He says the new building will incorporate many advancements that put the needs of shelter users at the forefront.
“In the traditional shelter design, there was one large space with rows of kennels. They were noisy and had no direct access to the outdoors creating a stressful environment for animals,” said Gallant. “In this new design, we’ll have pods housing no more than fivedogs per pod where we can put dogs with similar dispositions together. Dogs do better in this environment, both physically and behaviourly. It makes them more adoptable and less likely to return to the shelter.”
Cat rooms will house a maximum of 10-20 cats, with access to natural daylight.
The new building will include dedicated community spaces where people can interact with pets in care. GTHS Executive Director Karen Marsh says the facility will transform the way the society is able to help animals and serve people.
“We will be a full service animal health centre with separate dog and cat adoption wings,” said March. “We’ll have outdoor education and training areas. We are building a future where no animal is left behind.”
She said GTHS staff are constantly saying they wish they could help more animals, and she thanked donors for their support, and belief in the vision.
Occupancy of the new building is slated for 2027.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $17.6 million. So far, more than $10.6 million has been raised. The next major fundraiser on the calendar is the annual FurBall at Craigleith Ski Club on Oct. 18. Tickets cost $250 per person and are available at gths.ca/ furball-soiree.
