Unwilling to pay upwards of $3,000 for its own noise study, Guelph-Eramosa council has asked the Guelph Rod and Gun Club and the Eden Mills steering committee for help with a decision on indoor shooting at the club.
On Dec. 21, council again deferred a decision on a club proposal to operate its “sound insulated” indoor range seven days a week from 9am to 11pm.
Spokesman Tim Laing said the steering committee questions the “independent validity” of a recent test showing minimal noise is generated by indoor shooting at the club.
Laing said the 83 residents on the committee are worried seven signatures from residents on a petition in support of the gun club’s proposal could influence a decision that could affect hundreds of residents in the Eden Mills community.
The committee plans to meet in the new year to come to a consensus and present its position to council.
Considering the committee’s greatest concerns are with noise and the possibility of bullets leaving the gun club property – as they have in the past – councillor Doug Breen said more indoor shooting and less outdoor firing should be a good thing for the community. He also suggested it was time for council to make a decision.
“It’s not fair to anyone to keep coming back,” he said.
Councillor Reta Moyer wanted to know exactly what are the concerns of the steering committee. Laing said members are concerned with “a broad range of issues,” notably that the gun club’s proposal represents a 40% increase in shooting and likely means more local traffic.
When it was suggested committee members visit the club to witness firsthand the noise levels from indoor shooting, Laing said the group was in the past threatened with arrest if it came near the club.
Gun club president Frank McFarquhar said the club would be more than willing to host a committee visit – as he said the club offered in February.
Laing said he would bring the invitation to the committee for consideration. Mayor Chris White said the committee’s feelings on “gun culture” and its desire to see the club closed permanently are moot points – the issue before council is noise. He suggested the committee negotiate with the club and perhaps request reduced outdoor shooting – on Saturday evenings, for instance – in return for the club’s indoor shooting request.
“There may be a window here to get everybody something,” White told Laing.
Councillor Roger Knapp agreed, and told Laing, the gun club is “part of your community; you’ve got to work with them.”
Moyer questioned if the steering committee would next want the township to prohibit the operation of snowblowers, lawnmowers and other noisy items on weekends. “We’ve got to be reasonable here.”
White told Laing the township wanted to make a decision on Feb. 1, and suggested the steering committee hold its meeting prior to that date and allow McFarquhar to attend to answer questions. The mayor also suggested committee members – and possibly councillors – visit the gun club to survey the noise for themselves.
