Range Under Fire

260 Rem · #1 10-02-2011, 06:46 PM

Just read a article in the Tofield Mercury where a person living more than a mile away from SPFGA Range has asked County Council to have SPFGA to move the range or severely restrict shooting hours.
There is a lot of misinformation in the atricle which will be corrected when Club Officials meet with members of Council. Among the complaints was the mention of a lack of fences to keep shooters from parking on the road and walking in ...rapid fire weapons .... constant noise 12 hrs a day.
One can never predict where these issues will end up...but I can say I am thankfull for little things like:
1) a recent membership cap
2) agreements for Law Enforcement agencies to use the Range
3) good fences and signage all around the 700+ acres
4) cameras on all ranges
5) free facilty use (camping) for countless scouts, cubs
6) limits on shooting hours
......an Executive that started a contingency fund!

Lonnie · #2 10-02-2011, 09:22 PM

At 1 mile the noise should be quite minimal but one should look at planting thick trees a long edge of property (caragans, lilacs, poplars, ect..) their is a type of bamboo grass that will get quite tall in a few month but its like a weed to get rid of.the trees wuold disperse the noise considerably.

Lefty-Canuck · #3 10-02-2011, 09:24 PM

I think the club should get together and have some custom ear-muffs made for the person concerned and all their friends and family....proudly display the SPF&G logo on the ears....I am sure you could get most members to pitch in a buck each for the idea...

LC

Alberta Bigbore · #4 10-02-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

I think the club should get together and have some custom ear-muffs made for the person concerned and all their friends and family.

LC

LOL x2

Lonnie · #5 10-02-2011, 09:44 PM

club should get the complainers down to the range for a fun day of pistol,shotgun,rifle, fun day so that they see what is happening and they may even get to enjoy it, but that is the day you want a range officer that is strict a bout safety or depending on amount of people 3 or 4 range officers.

just a thought.

Roughneck12 · #6 10-02-2011, 10:54 PM

Council should have the balls to tell the whiners to get....pound sand.

Grizzly Adams · #7 10-03-2011, 07:54 AM

Can't say I agree with letting Law Enforcement use the range. Yes, I know they need a place to shoot, but why let them unnecessarily increase your range use and they have other options. One of the problems thrown at the Olds range was it's use by the RCMP and CPS. CPS, by the way, have their own range, near Calgary. Also used to have an indoor range in their headquarters. I've shot there.

Grizz

gopher · #8 10-03-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Can't say I agree with letting Law Enforcement use the range. Yes, I know they need a place to shoot, but why let them unnecessarily increase your range use and they have other options. One of the problems thrown at the Olds range was it's use by the RCMP and CPS. CPS, by the way, have their own range, near Calgary. Also used to have an indoor range in their headquarters. I've shot there.

Grizz

Grizz you could be on to something there!! What if the RCMP had a range built government funded state of the art facility that we could all use.

Sneeze · #9 10-03-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Can't say I agree with letting Law Enforcement use the range.

Just ask the LFGA about letting the Law in to use the range!

260 Rem · #10 10-03-2011, 02:21 PM

SPFGA did have a "fun shoot" day two years ago, where neighbors were invited ...complete with BBQ and the works but few came so don't think they were invited this year. No safety issues with neighbors as all ranges are properly side burmed with regulation height backstops. There are burms and at least 1Km of bush between the range and the nearest neighbor... The article focuses on noise and a couple of camo clad guys with high power rifles who the complainant seen walking from a vehicle into the bush (she apparently reported their lic # to RCMP but I think it must have been on property not owned by SPFGA as she said it was unfenced).
The club is pretty coscientious an will likely review everything to see if there is a way to accomodate "reasonable" concerns. The club has always been LE friendly, but does control them through written agreements regarding what they can and cannot do...these agreements are just being prepared for the 2012 calendar year. There are some advantages to LE use...never see any gang banger types shooting their pistols sideways. Ranges are never booked which interfere with member use (happened once this year) but has been nipped in the bud). The LE groups using the range have no comparable facility in the Edm area. Nothing out to 300M for the "sniper" units...and nothing out to 100M for the cars with carbines...they need SPFGA &/or Spr. Grove.
The RCMP did actually make overatures to the club to permit the construction of an LE range on the property, which was turned down. A concern that could relate to LE (raised by the complainant) was "rapid fire"... Which could apply to any member with a semi-auto ...but never to LE on a weekend as they cannot book in on a weekend.