To the editor:
Re: Tranquility Broken: Easter ‘bully’ Shatters Peace All Weekend (April 29 Capital News).
Let me start off by saying that I have no connection to the Kelowna Fish and Game Club, however, I have shot at their range several times in the past.
Perhaps [letter writer] Mr. Potts should have looked around before buying/renting a home in that area, as the KFGC has been established in that area for quite a number of years and have been hosting competitions there for a long time.
They hosted a two-day match there and, if as he says over 19,000 shots were fired, that would mean that at least 75 to 100 people were in attendance. There is no way that number of people who shoot this type of match were all local, so let’s just say that at least 60 of these came from out of town. That means at least two nights in a hotel/motel for these 60, or $12,000 into our economy.
These people also have to be fed so at a conservative estimate at least 250 meals were purchased and also conservatively $5,000 were spent on meals.
Many would have driven in and even the locals had to drive to the range so conservatively $6,000 was spent on fuel.
Many would have also taken advantage of our night life and local attractions, (wineries, etc.) so again at least another $5,000 would have been taken in by our local economy.
Looking at this from a local perspective, at the very least, over $25,000 was pumped into the local economy and all that happened was a lot of holes were punched in paper targets.
Perhaps it should also be noted that 75 to 100 people were walking around with firearms and fired over 19,000 rounds and no one was injured or killed.
David R. Madill,
Westbank
