Gun club moves forward
Directors discuss next steps during inaugural annual meeting
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 1, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Fort Simpson Rod and Gun Club is finally off the ground and members are pondering what tasks to draw a bead on next.
Chuck Blyth takes aim at the unofficial shooting range between Fort Simpson and the airport. - photo courtesy of Chuck Blyth
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During the club's first annual general meeting on Sept. 23, a small, dedicated group of members gathered at the recreation centre to dole out responsibilities and elect directors.
The club has been in the works for some time and became an official society as of June 26. Now, members are working toward fixing up the unofficial shooting range between Fort Simpson's core and the airport.
At the time they became a society, the club declared an eight-point constitution that includes maintaining a shooting range in Fort Simpson as one of its goals. Other objectives include promoting shooting sports, firearms safety, hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation in Fort Simpson and the surrounding area.
"We formed a society to get control of the range in order to clean it up, take care of it and improve it," said director Garry Murtsell during the meeting.
The club is looking into the possibility of obtaining the lease for the land the range sits on and eventually building a range that complies with RCMP safety guidelines. Currently, members are considering the feasibility of constructing proper rifle, shotgun and pistol ranges on that property.
Members will also be pursuing club insurance, which Murtsell said runs at about $500 per year.
Director Chuck Blyth said the group initially had a vision for a certified, secure facility with range safety officers.
There is also the possibility that the range will be able to offer ammunition for sale eventually.
"We have that vision but members and directors will decide what to do next," he said.
During the annual general assembly, members decided to pursue funding options through the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment as well as nail down possibilities for the range's design, which could be affected by direction of fire, size of berms and the potential safety area - a downrange area designed to contain stray bullets not caught by the berm.
The range currently points toward the Liard River and may have to be altered to point in a different direction.
Additionally, the club will be consulting with Dehcho First Nations and Liidlii Kue First Nation about the development.
Directors agreed during the meeting to keep membership fees as low as possible. Murtsell suggested the range keep prices to $50 or less and said the range can also generate revenue by renting out to groups, such as RCMP members, and holding shooting competitions.
Club members will meet again on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m., at which time they will provide an update on their progress.
