Four-footed friends walk for SPCA

05/28/2007

BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD

The skies threatened to pour down upon Sunday's 15th annual Brant County SPCA fundraising walkathon in Mohawk Park, but 65 dog owners and their pets were undeterred.

By Sunday afternoon, the Friends For Life Walkathon was well on its way toward its $17,000 goal to support the operations of the SPCA's shelter on Mohawk Street.

"We have fewer participants this year, due to the threat of rain," said SPCA branch manager Robin Kuchma, "but I believe we'll do well."

FEWER PARTICIPANTS

While the number of participants was lower at 65, compared with about 80 last year, Kuchma cited a strong group of animal loving devotees for making the annual event a continuing success.


The event also gained another strong supporter this year. Esther Yelle, manager of the Scotiabank branch at Lynden Road and Wayne Gretzky Parkway, rounded up some colleagues to sell raffle tickets. They raised $1,015 for the cause.

"We like to get involved in the community and give back to it," said Yelle. "I'm a strong believer in that."

All the money and more is needed to keep the SPCA shelter going to meet its twin mandate: animal protection, and animal control and enforcement.

The SPCA counts heavily on the walkathon's success as its largest fundraising event towards its operating budget of $700,000. The city pays about $340,000 for the animal control and enforcement component.

Meanwhile, Kuchma said plans are moving along well for the SPCA's new shelter, which will be built at the edge of the proposed Oak Park North industrial and commercial mega-development on Oak Park Road, just north of Highway 403.

Developer King and Benton has donated four acres of its 450-acre holdings to the SPCA. The shelter will be built on a small portion that is on the Brant County side.

The Six Nations firm Two Row Architects has been contracted to undertake the new shelter's design. The firm is preparing a preliminary design to help the agency determine its required size and cost.

FINAL DESIGN

Once that's determined, Kuchma said the information and the final design will be released to the public in time to help in a fundraising campaign to help pay construction.

Kuchma said she is grateful that King and Benton and president Steve Charest stepped in to help the agency find a new home to replace its cramped, obsolete shelter.

"They're always very supportive of us," she said.