Paint is on the walls!

Work this week included:
- primer, ceiling paint and wall paint

- interior doors installed

- subflooring installed

Wetland Replication Process.  During our initial surveys of the sanctuary land, an abandoned drainage ditch that was used for flushing waste out of the factory chicken farm was found to have small amounts of wetland plants growing within.  Located in the center of our proposed "dog village", this would severely curtail our ability to build new construction.  Additionally, it was becoming increasingly apparent that the abandoned structures were both an eyesore and contained contaiminated waste that was potentially leaking into the acres of beautiful marsh and wetlands located adjacent.  Thankfully, the engineers and town officials approved a plan to relocate the wetland.  That process began this week with an excavation and creation of a basin.  The basin is level with the existing wetland and is going to be loamed and seeded with native wetland plants.  The ditch will be filled in and the new wetlands will be not only double the size, but will support a greater diversity of wetland plants and encourage wetland creatures to call it their new home.  We are pleased that we can commit to not only helping our companion animals in their struggles, but also help wildlife animals and plants continue to grow and thrive at the Our Companions Ashford Sanctuary!

Drywall Completed July 10, 2012.  View the results before the walls are painted!

Tour of the drywall upstairs. 

The question on many peoples' lips has been "What color is the Rescue Cottage going to be?  If you've been following this blog closely you already know the answer!  R E D !!

The cottage looks so warm and inviting, just like we all imagined.  Don't you just love it?!?

Outside on our construction site, the large and complicated Storm Water Runoff infrastructure continues to be a top priority for Mark Weeks, Owner and Operator of Weeks Construction.  Thanks, Mark, for all your hard work, dedication and amazing abilities!

Smaller diameter white piping is buried in trenches laterally across the parking lot.

This piping joins with larger diamater black pipes.

The photo belows shows the black pipes already buried in gravel.

 This view of the parking lot shows the water retention basin in the background.

Opposite view below.  The foreground shows the water retention basin.  The parking lot's distance from the photographer gives you some idea of the scope of this project!

Thank you for checking in.  I hope you are as thrilled and excited by what you've seen here today as I am.  Before you know it, you'll be touring here in person!  It will be my great priviledge to welcome you and introduce you to our first residents.  Dogs and cats who have previously suffered abuse and neglect, will come here to heal and find new lives and love.  They will be the pioneers in animal welfare; examples for all of us on how to really make a difference for these beautiful creatures we love so much.

Latest work inside our rescue cottage includes:

Insulation is installed

Drywall going up

Required by the Fire Safety Codes of the Town of Ashford, this cement behemoth's installation was a marvel to behold! 

The cistern arrives via a big rig ...... extra wide load.  The day is about to get very intense!

Our construction crew has been working feverishly to prepare the final resting place of this underground storage system for 15,000 gallons of fire-fighting water to reside.

A 150 ton crane has been mobilized to the site to perform the task of lifting this 60 ton cistern and gently lowering it into place.

The lid is placed on top to create a watertight seal.  Great going guys!!

The earth is moved back into place around the cistern and it's installation is a huge success.

Notice how even the sun came out to celebrate?  Another successful "one-step closer" to the sanctuary being a reality!