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Tough winter has MARS $20,000 over budget on new hospital

The new MARS Wildlife Rescue hospital is finally ready to receive patients after a number of costly weather-related delays.
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The new MARS Wildlife Rescue hospital is finally ready to receive patients after a number of costly weather-related delays.

MARS had to relocate to a new facility in Merville this spring because their former space has been sold. The wildlife rescue program had to clear areas of their new 11 acre site, obtain permits, put in services and design a number of buildings, all before construction on the hospital could begin. And just when it was time to begin the hospital building phase, Mother Nature took a stand.

“We had a winter that just wouldn’t quit followed by a spring that wouldn’t come,” says Pearl McKenzie, vice president, MARS Wildlife Rescue. “The weather that was thrown at us didn’t cause construction delays, but it meant that we had to incur significant additional costs that we hadn’t budgeted. And now we must find new donors who are prepared to step up and help reach our goals.”

Because of the snow and relentless rain, MARS was compelled to put in more drainage and to dig trenches to move the water away from the hospital site. As well as increased drainage, more fill and gravel was required to make the site dry and safe. These additional and unplanned costs totalled more than $20,000 more than MARS had anticipated.

“We had no option, we couldn’t wait for the site to drain naturally,” explains Warren Warttig, president of MARS. “We knew we had to have the hospital ready for baby bird season that typically begins mid-May and we always get a flurry of new patients at that time.”

Baby bird season is in full swing. MARS has already taken in 37 young birds this spring and many have been returned to their nests. MARS currently has seven patients in care including one adult and one juvenile eagle, a baby great horned owl, one red tail hawk, a baby gosling and a mallard duck.

The move of patients to the new MARS facility is planned for 19-21 May. This weekend will also involve a construction ‘bee’ with volunteers completing final touches and building additional facilities on site at 1331 Williams Beach Rd in Merville.

MARS Wildlife Rescue, a licensed and regulated facility, provides rescue, rehabilitation, recovery and release for injured and orphaned wildlife in central and northern Vancouver Island. With a caseload that has grown to 700 per year, this volunteer-powered, donor funded organization is opening a new, larger hospital and recovery centre in the Comox Valley.