Shooting enthusiasts getting a skeet/trap range in future

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Vauxhall Advance

By Cole Parkinson
Vauxhall Advance
cparkinson@tabertimes.com

Planning for a skeet/trap range at the Municipal District of Taber Shooting complex is well underway as the spring weather hits southern Alberta. During council’s regular meeting on March 12, they received an update on the progress for the addition to the complex.

“This was done a fair while ago, about a year ago. We looked at the design and the scope of work as well as the resources and associated costs for the project,” said Craig Pittman, director of infrastructure. “This project is shovel ready. We have approval for the development by the highway from Alberta Transportation. We know what we have for utilities in the area and it’s clear so there are no conflicts there. The design is ready and we have laid it out once to ensure it would work as it does on paper.”

While the project is ready for the construction phase, it’s in a line of other projects that have precedence for the M.D.

Another factor is the approaching spring season which will see the range open yet again.

Administration stated construction would best be served at the beginning or end of the season, but right now there isn’t a fit in between their other projects.

“Our early and late season work is quite full (for 2019),” added Pittman.

“April, that is essentially when we can start breaking ground. I have Barnwell pit stripping as well as we are doing our road projects Range Road 18-5 in April as well. For us to commit to doing four more weeks of work, I can’t see it fitting our schedule at this time,” added Jeremy Wickson, director of public works.

In terms of work needed for the project, a summary was provided to council.

The project lists removing and salvaging topsoil, building an access road to a parking/staging area, building the parking/staging area, levelling the shooting area and clear area, replacing salvaged topsoil and seed and gravel the access road and parking/staging area. Topsoil movement is slated at 8,500 cubic metres, common quantities at 25,000 cubic metres and 325 cubic metres of surfacing gravel which Pittman estimates to take approximately 140 working hours.

Equipment needed for the project with a cost breakdown for work to be completed as proposed is a D7 dozer ($24,000), three motor scrapers ($115,000), two motor graders ($40,000), one tractor/packer combo ($14,000) with seeding and gravelling costing $5,000 each for an estimated total of $203,000.

“This would be a good spring 2020 project at the point. As far as some of the early season work we need to do, adding it to next year I have nothing scheduled at this time,” said Wickson.