KANKAKEE COUNTY, IL – Kankakee County’s Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting took place on Thursday at the Kankakee County Administration Building to discuss the Animal Control Building project.
The focus was on the additional features the property will offer and the release of bids for the project, which will be due May 10th. The building is expected to be completed and operational by March 2024.
The project, led by Wight & Company, will expand the current Illinois Police + Fire Building to provide facilities for animal control, increasing the capacity and improving living and working conditions. The new building will streamline operations and facilitate maintenance, designed to meet current and future needs of the community for Animal Control.
Ryan Cusick, RA, Senior Project Architect at Wight & Company, broke down the new additions for the facility located at 134 Mooney Drive in Bourbonnais. New features include 26 outdoor dog runs with door access for staff, eliminating the need for leashing dogs before they can go outside. Three play yard areas are designed for fenced-in animal outdoor exercise, enclosed with six-foot fencing. The dog runs will be screened from adjacent properties with a chain-link fence, and additional landscaping is scheduled for the east side.
A new building will be constructed behind the existing structure, the play yards, and a staff parking section. A secure garage area on the left side of the building will allow secure access of animals inside the building, allowing staff to avoid potential encounters with guests when animals are brought inside.
A dedicated break room and support service space will be extended in the new building, allowing space for laundry and other services. From a security standpoint, a reception window and lock door will be remotely unlocked and screened before allowing entry deeper into the facility.
Cusick warned that a new electrical service will be needed by ComEd, which could cause delays. Inflation and increased costs in materials will also play a factor in the bids coming in for the project.
The board suggested a monument sign that could promote local adoptions may be considered at some point, although it is not currently in the scope of the project.
Any concerns about parking for large gatherings at the facility were addressed by Animal Control Director Keri Laird, who said that any parking overflow could be addressed by wiring with nearby neighbors.
With the bids due on May 10th, the Animal Control Building project in Kankakee County is expected to be a valuable addition to the community, providing state-of-the-art facilities for animal control operations.
