The Ohio Department of Natural Resources liked the idea, too, and provided the dollars to make the range a reality at Garbry Big Woods Reserve, located at 6660 Casstown-Sidney Road.
The site best suited the goals for the range, said Scott Myers, park district executive director.
“We wanted to find a place with parking and a restroom and have it in the woods. When we looked at our facilities, it made the most sense,” he said of the Big Woods location.
The range was proposed as a result of increasing attendance in park district archery programs and when the ODNR archery trailer would visit a park district event.
“ODNR is looking to increase interest in shooting sports and has talked with us about the grant for the past year or two. Add to that the success in the school archery program and the number of kids involved in that. It only made sense for us to help meet the community need since there is nothing like this in Miami County,” Myers said.
An official opening for the archery range was held Sept. 9.
The archery facility includes:
• An accessible trail from the existing public parking area to the main archery site located within a secluded woodland stand.
• Within the range, shooting lanes consist of four independent archery targets at 10-, 20-, 20- and 40- yard distances.
• A 12-foot shooting platform with independent targets to replicate tree-stand archery skills.
Range construction began in May. An ODNR Division of Wildlife shooting range subsidy grant of $15,709 paid for the facility.
The site has been well received, Myers said. “It has worked very well. It has been very active, and the feedback has been extremely positive. The site is really neat being in the woods, just like hunting,” he said.
The range is open during regular park district hours and use is on a first-come, first-served basis. Users under age 18 require supervision.
The range also fits with a move in the park district to encourage independent exploration and use of the parks, Myers said.
Other projects on the horizon include primitive camping in a year or two and trails that will open on the west part of the Lost Creek Reserve in the spring.
For more information on the parks, go online to www.miamicountyparks.com.
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