Oldham County approves nearly $10 million to build new animal shelter, renovate aquatic center

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Oldham County approved a plan to spend some major money to address two facilities in disarray.

The Oldham County Fiscal court approved over $10 million for projects to build a new Oldham County Animal Shelter and renovate the Oldham County Aquatic Center.

Currently, the Oldham County Animal Shelter is cramped, overcrowded and unsanitary, according to the county's director of Animal Control, Polly Helton.

Oldham County Fiscal Court recently approved an over $6 million project to rebuild its animal control shelter. The new building will be constructed on a vacant lot up the road that will provide the shelter with enough space as both needs and the county continues to grow.

The new shelter will have a space for cats to have their own room, a separate break room for employees, a conference room, space for people to meet animals for potential adoption, an exam room, and larger kennels for dogs.

"It'll be less stressful for them as well," Helton said. "That's our biggest goal is to have more room for animals and create as low stress environment for them we possibly can."

After several years of back-and-forth discussion within the county government, the plan was approved in a 6 to 3 vote at the Oldham County Fiscal Court.

"It took everything in me to not be like 'Yes!' in the court room, but I was kind of surprised it did pass," Helton said.

Helton said the goal is to break ground in spring 2023. Helton hopes the new facility will be up and running in 2024.

The fiscal court also approved a brand new pool at the Oldham County Aquatic Center. The pool at Wendell Moore Park was closed in the summer of 2022 because of structural issues.

"The pool could not be repaired again, we've been repairing for several years thinking we have one fixed and good but that didn't happen to be the case," said Wayne Theiss, Oldham County Magistrate.

Oldham County's Parks Director said pipes underground and in the pump room will be replaced. The swimming pool facility's large pool will be separated into two smaller ones.

"At this point, the pool is about 20 years old, we've been told and no reason to not think it's accurate, we're going to get somewhere between 18 to 20 years out of the pool," Theiss said.

The projected cost of the pool renovations is estimated at $3.8 million.

"We've always been conservative, now it's time to spend a little, so that's where we are," Theiss said.

The pool will be closed for the 2023 season, but should reopen by 2024.

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