THE NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE REVOLVER CLUB UPDATE

After several meetings with Niagara Region personnel we are pleased to be able to report that negotiations for the sale of the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club by the Niagara Region to the club are progressing well. A few sticky issues have been resolved and what remain to be worked out are relatively small details and bookkeeping items. We are hopeful that the final details will be hammered out by the end of January so that the proposal can go forward to the full Regional Council for approval shortly after that . Thanks to those of you who have been monitoring this situation. While we don't expect any difficulties, should any arise we will be mobilizing local gun owners to attend yet another Regional Council meeting. Watch this website for further information as it becomes available. last modified January, 2013

There is a Niagara Region Council meeting regarding the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club on Thursday, May 24 at 1830 hours (6:30 PM) in the Council Chambers at the Niagara Region headquarters.

On March 1, 2012 Niagara Regional Council voted 27-1 to instruct Region staff to negotiate the sale of the range property to the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club.

On April 12, 2012 Niagara Regional Council voted 29-0 to extend the lease of the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club till July 31 (or longer) to allow time for the negotiations to be completed.

On May 16, 2012 several members of the Regional Council Corporate Services Committee ignored the 70 years the club has operated at the current location and the good faith offer to purchase put forward by the club, reversed their position and passed a motion to put the sale of the club property out to public tender instead.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We trusted these elected officials to deal with us in good faith and they have STABBED US IN THE BACK!!!

WHAT DO WE DO NOW? On THURSDAY, MAY 24 AT 6:30 PM the full Regional Council will vote on the motion and IT NEEDS TO BE DEFEATED.

WE NEED YOU THERE!! Bring your friends, neighbours and family members. Last time we packed 200 people into the Council chambers. THIS TIME WE NEED 400 PEOPLE SO THESE TURNCOATS REALIZE THEY'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS.

See the following list for the people you need to contact. Politely but firmly tell them you are not going to stand for this. They must vote to deal directly with the club as originally agreed upon.

THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012, 6:30 PM at Niagara Region Headquarters, 2201 St. David’s Rd. in Thorold.

Fort Erie
Douglas Martin (Mayor) 905-871-1600 ext. 2235

Grimsby
Bob Bentley (Mayor) 905-945-9634

Lincoln
Bill Hodgson (Mayor) **changed his vote 905-562-4464
Mark Bylsma **left early, didn’t vote 905-562-0064

Niagara Falls
Jim Diodati (Mayor) 905-356-7521
Barbara Greenwood 905-358-7226

Niagara-on-the-Lake
Dave Lepp 905-468-2980

Pelham
Dave Augustyn (Mayor) **changed his vote 905-892-2607
Brian Baty 905-892-5317

Port Colborne
Vance Badawey (Mayor) **changed his vote 905-835-2900

St. Catharines
Brian McMullan (Mayor) 905-688-5600
Ronna Katzman 905-688-1993
Tim Rigby **changed his vote 905-328-8508

Thorold
Ted Luciani (Mayor) 905-227-8733
Henry D'Angela **changed his vote 905-227-8298

Welland
Peter Kormos 905-732-6723 last modified May 17, 2012

The next Niagara Region meeting regarding the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club will be a Corporate Services Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 16 at 0930 hours (9:30 AM) in the Council Chambers at the Niagara Region headquarters.

It is getting down to crunch time for approval of the sale of the property to the club and we need to keep the Councillor's feet to the fire. I realize the time is awkward for many of you who work but I am firmly convinced that the big turnouts we have had at the previous two meetings are largely responsible for the favourable decisions Council has rendered for us so far.

If it is at all possible please try to make it out to this meeting. Bruce Christie and I will be making presentations and answering questions along with club president Steve Scriven.

Let's show the Councillors that we are serious about seeing this issue through to a successful conclusion. Come out if you can and please spread the word to your shooting, hunting and gun owning friends, relatives and sympathizers to attend as well.

Thank you for your support in the past. Let's keep it up. last modified May 14, 2012

Next meeting is to be held on April 2, 2012 at 1800 - 2000 hours ( 6:00pm to 8:00pm ) at the Cafeteria of Campbell East, Niagara Regional Headquarters, 2201 St.David's Road, Thorold. This meeting is for residence who reside within one kilometer radius of the club, however, anyone can attend this meeting. We advise those who attend to email us, web@thesportingclubsofniagara.com, and let us know what went on. last modified March 21, 2012

Thank you for all those who turned out for the council meeting regarding the closure of the NRPRC. We had a great number of supporters which really, truly helped to shine a light at the situation for the city councellors. With your support, and the speeches presented by Gerry G, Bruce C. and Lou P., we are getting the attention of the right people to keep our sporting facilities operational.

Further information and action regarding this matter will be posted here as soon as the information becomes available and of course, is confirmed.

There will be another council meeting regarding the closure of the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club sometime at the end of March or beginning of April. Please check this site at your convenience to keep up to date regarding this issue. last modified March 2, 2012

The Niagara Region has terminated the lease of the Niagara Regional Police Revolver Club effective April 30, 2012.

They claim that they are worried about liability and lead (Pb) contamination. These arguments are FALSE!

Shooting on civilian gun ranges is one of the safest recreational activities in Canada. The club has proven to the Region that it has 2 ½ times the amount of liability insurance required by the Ontario CFO but THE REGION HAS IGNORED THIS.

The Region has NO evidence that lead contamination is a problem on the range. While Ontario has virtually no research concerning lead contamination on shooting ranges, studies done in Europe on lead contained in bullets have shown that there is NO ISSUE with lead polluting soil or water.

The recommendation to close the range was contained in a SECRET REPORT generated by Region staff. The club executive was NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO SEE IT OR HOW COUNCILLORS VOTED. This is how governments do business in North Korea or China, NOT IN CANADA.

If this range closure is allowed to take place it will be the THIRD gun club lost in the Niagara Region in the past FOUR years, all due to government interference. THIS HAS TO STOP!

Whether you are a target shooter or hunter this concerns YOU. All that is required for YOUR range to be closed down is a noise complaint by a neighbour to an anti-gun town councillor who can introduce a noise bylaw to stop the discharge of firearms. All it takes to lose your HUNTING territory is for an anti-hunting mayor to get a bylaw passed to stop the discharge of firearms within 500 metres of ANY BUILDING and hunting will be eliminated in nearly every part of the Niagara Peninsula.

TODAY IT IS THE NIAGARA REGIONAL POLICE REVOLVER CLUB BEING SHUT DOWN. TOMORROW IT WILL BE YOUR CLUB OR HUNTING TERRITORY.

We have some Regional Councillors who are willing to go to bat for us and re-open the issue. This will be done at the Regional Council meeting on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 6:30 PM, located at NIAGARA REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 2201 ST. DAVIDS ROAD. THOROLD WE NEED YOU THERE. Bring your wife, your kids and your friends. Gun owners need to show Regional Council that we are aren’t going to be pushed around anymore. If we pack 300 or 400 gun owners into the council chamber THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE NOTICE.

CALL YOUR MAYOR AND REGIONAL COUNCILLORS. They will all be voting on whether or not to reverse this decision. THEY NEED TO KNOW YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN.

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