I would like to add to the comments Bob Kopp made to the Citizen regarding the Cowichan Fish & Game Association (CFGA) gun range.
As Kurt Pyrch stated on Friday, Bob is a disgruntled former CFGA member who actually held an executive position at one time.
Membership in the Cowichan River Neighborhood Association (CRNA): five(5) (could not find any official evidence of this group or of Bob Kopp’s standing within it). Membership in the CFGA: over four hundred (400). Bob states that the CRNA was treated with indifference at a meeting with the Association. He then goes on to list the noise control measures that have been instigated since. That does not sound like indifference, that sounds like sincere efforts to get along with your neighbors.
BC Parks states that the use of a baffle system has reduced the noise to acceptable levels. Has it helped or not? Bob does not say.
The issue of the RCMP leaving the range. This was a result of noise complaints to BC Parks following RCMP members qualifying with the new C8 semiautomatic carbine. They could not use the baffle system for this. It was a one time event. The CFGA charged the RCMP a total of $3600 per year for the range use. The officers carried their radios and could qualify there while they were on duty. It is estimated that the new costs are about $1000 per RCMP member per year x 59 members = $59,000 per year as they are now required to travel out of the area and are paid overtime on days off. These new costs are covered by the CVRD taxpayers.
Lead contamination is a serious issue. The range has only surface contamination as the lead is routinely recovered from the backstops. Test wells could find no lead in the water. There is an onsite well for the resident caretaker. No lead there either.
Projectiles found off the range and in the Park. The Canadian Firearms Officer and the Parks Branch could find absolutely no evidence of this during their annual inspections. How, where and by whom was the sampling done? How many projectiles were found and what exactly were they? It is strongly suspected that the CRNA trespassed on Club property to “sample” and are lucky to have escaped prosecution. Let’s have the truth here Bob.
I think Bob Kopp left out some critical facts about this issue and some of his comments are exaggerated for effect. BC Parks is reacting to the complaints of a noisy few. Let’s support our Association and our range. Let our majority voice be loud.
Keith Grey
Duncan
