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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
When it's -40 C, going out to shoot guns on the frozen bleakness that is Great Slave Lake isn't exactly everyone's idea of a good time.

Scott Cairns, president of the Yellowknife Shooting Club, stands at the club's shooting range near the sandpits. Cairns says he is excited that Joint Task Force North is looking at using the shooting range again for the first time since 2009. - Cody Punter/NNSL photo

However, for the past few years, that is exactly what members of Joint Task Force North have been doing in order to meet their firearms requirements.

The JTFN is now making a bid to be able to once again use the shooting range at the Sandpits, which is currently run by the YK Shooting Club.

"It works when we go out there, it's just a challenge," said Lieutenant-Colonel Keith MacNeil about shooting on the ice of Great Slave Lake. "This way, it would facilitate our training. On a range it's much easier to control,"

In order to meet their minimum requirements, members of the Canadian Armed Forces must complete weapons training once a year.

JTFN was using the Shooting Club's range until 2009, when a new administrative interpretation governing the military's use of public shooting ranges prevented it from continuing to use the range.

In order to start using the range again, the JTFN will have to upgrade the facilities.

"We've identified points, with the YK Shooting Club, where we need to improve the range."

JTFN's engineering staff has mapped the trails and drawn up plans for installing new fences around the range.

The new fences would have gates that would allow the JTFN to restrict access to the range when they are using it.

MacNeil also said the other improvements would include better signage on the trails around the range.

"With DND it's always safety first on the range. So we want to make sure that when we're in there using it, the public is well aware," said MacNeil.

"It should make it a safe and very enjoyable place to conduct our training."

The one caveat of JTFN being able to use the range is it will require exclusive use of the facilities during training periods.

However, MacNeil said the Forces would only be using the range a maximum of 10 times a year. They would also mostly be using it during business hours when most members are at work.

MacNeil added that membership to the range offered through JTFN would not be valid for private use.

Yellowknife Shooting Club President Scott Cairns says he is excited at the idea of having the JTFN coming back to shoot at the range.

"They're big users of firearms and we like to support firearms in the community," said Cairns. "They've been valued members in the past and we know they will be valued members again, if this works."

In fact, without the military, the current shooting range would not exist. The military was responsible for building the current range in 1953. When the range was first built it was 600 metres long. In the 1970s, it was shortened to 300 metres and handed over to the shooting club. It has been operated as a civilian range ever since.

Cairns said the improvements to the club will benefit all members and that extra revenues from membership will allow for a better upkeep and maintenance.

"We get value out of their use of the range and we use that to support the club in other ways," said Cairns.

JTFN has begun consultations with the necessary groups in order to start using the range again. MacNeil said if all goes according to plan, the Forces should be able to use the range by next summer.

"We're hoping with the approval of all the stakeholders we can go back and use it again."

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