CHEK News: Victoria archery club loses outdoor range to handyDART facility
After shooting on their View Royal outdoor range for a decade, it’s time for the Victoria Bowmen Archery Club to pack up their bows and arrows.
“We have to move as of the 1st of September because of BC Transit moving in here to build their handyDART facility,” said Al Wills, president of the club. “We’re pretty ready to move, [we’ll] bring in some garbage containers in the middle of August, load them up and we’ll be out of here.”
The group built their outdoor range on Burnside Road West back in 2010, spending $60,000 to turn it into what it looks like today.
“We don’t have an outdoor home now, we haven’t been able to find anywhere else,” said Wills. “So we’ll be stuck with school yards and places like that for temporary tournaments, that means bringing in all equipment, setting it all up, then taking it down when we’re done.”
The club still has its indoor home at the Saanich Commonwealth Place, but it’s not the same as having an outdoor range.
“Outdoor is really where it’s at. That’s where our members want to be,” he said. “The fresh air, the wind – adjusting for those kinds of things – sun, brightness and darkness, and rain and all that stuff.”