Range News
Hello Folks, 98 years serving our community… Amazing and the volunteers like you make it happen. The 2021 shooting season will provide us with a host of reasons to enjoy the great outdoors. George Roth has joined me as my assistant Volunteer Range Operator. We have been really busy with the1.7 million dollar facility construction project and it is progressing fairly well. A number of other projects are in the plans such as Range 8 construction, picnic area construction, bat condo construction and many of the preparations for 2021 range activities and programs. In addition, we are preparing a grant proposal to enhance our internet connectivity, electrical backup systems, camera network systems, WiFi access and access to reliable internet. The range has purchased some new firearms and we will be hosting a number of programs that should interest everyone thanks to a grant from the Alberta Conservation Association in addition to sponsorship by the Lethbridge Fish and Game Association – Shooting Sports Facility. SAFE (Southern Alberta Firearms Education) Society has a number of beginner, intermediate, and advanced shooting courses planned for this season at the Lethbridge Fish and Game Association – Shooting Sports Facility, contact Michelle at [email protected] for more details. Thank-you to the Lethbridge Fish and Game Association – Shooting Sports Facility for their generous contribution to these programs. Chinook Country Shooters Club has been busy as well planning their events for the coming season and they have purchased the equipment for ’Steel Challenge’ Matches. There will be lots of opportunities to volunteer, enjoy our shooting sports and continue to build our shooting community. The last I heard we were so close to 1800 members and moving towards meeting our membership of over 2000 last year. Here are some of the recent developments: RE-OPENING INDIVIDUAL RANGES: Thank you for your patience while we complete this 1.7 million dollar construction project.Ward Construction has agreed to allow us to reopen ranges as our construction project progresses the first ranges to reopen will be: RANGE 1 – ARCHERY RANGE 6 – SHOTGUN will be first in line to reopen. RANGE 7 – SPECIAL PURPOSE & ACTION SPORTS (Booking required – events and leagues on Range calendar) Further announcements regarding individual range reopening and our Gala Celebration will be provided by email and on our website www.lfga.club In to have your gate card activated to use these ranges you must: 1. email a picture or scan of your signed LFGA Sports Facility — Construction Access Agreement. This document augments our normal range rules and protocols. Construction Access Agreement – click to download. 2. have purchased a 2021 LFGA Range Membership 3. be a Range Officer 4. Day Passes will be available at the range, online www.lfga.club or at Marksman Guns and Sports. RANGE DEVELOPMENT— Volunteer Fill Transportation Needed I am organizing the delivery of clay fill to the range for our construction project and RANGE 8 which will be another special purpose range and home for our action shooting sports enthusiasts. To complete this project we will need to transport and build new dividing berms. I have arranged for clay fill at no cost but we need to load it and transport it to the range. Then we will be building the berms. So we need volunteers and large trucks to transport a large quantity of clay fill from the city yard to the west of the sewage treatment plant to the range. If you are able to provide some time and equipment we will pay for the fuel. McNally Contractors are joining our list of Community Partners and are donating a huge amount of topsoil that they are transporting to the range free of charge so please support this company.Eventually, I hope we can hydroseed the finished ground work. RANGE OFFICER COURSE – ONLINE We will be offering an online Range Officer Course as follows: Date: March 27, 2021Time: 1:00 PM Registration: Email a request to participate to: [email protected] Online Requirements: Zoom access through a browser or an application, a computer with a camera and microphone Cost: Electronic Money Transfer (EMT) $35.00 AFTER you receive your CONFIRMATION of your registration. BATHROOM ACCESS: I have received numerous comments from people who would like to access the bathroom in the classroom. To make this work I will need the following: A number of volunteers who will maintain the supplies and clean the bathroom. I will appreciate anyone who could volunteer some time every week to complete this task… the more the merrier. Email a request to me so I can activate your gate card on the bathroom doors. [email protected] BAT CONDO PROJECT: Bats are wonderful creatures and in keeping with the LFGA mission we will be providing increased habituate for bats. These little creatures will decrease the insects populations on our property. I have worked with Alberta Conservation Association to get the materials and plans for bat ‘condo’. This will require some woodworking skills and tools. The condo is a fairly large structure. Email me if you are interested in building these [email protected] VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are making a real difference in our outdoor community. Let me know if you have any special projects or programs that you would like to contribute. I really appreciate all of the members who have volunteered and as we build to re-open and as we get our May programs up and running we will need more help from you. Because we are a volunteer based organization we can operate at a lower cost to our members. I think we are the best shooting community in Canada with one of the best facilities. Cheers, Rick Blakeley, President and Volunteer Range Operator |