Location for indoor range near GTA?

Contact a realtor and get the guy to find an area where it is permitted to build a range.
Make sure you talk to the city before buying/leasing land, most of the times the law allows but the city won't approve.

I talked once a few years ago to some one at Basspro in Vaughan and he told me they had no restricteds because city would not approve license even though there was no law against it.
 
I think you can easily open one in west, one in east and one in north. You make it and people will come. You gotta know the right palms to grease though.

Municipal government in Toronto approve so many variances to bylaws that it seems that is their only business.
 
Regardless of where in the GTA, as long as somewhat close to the core as to not exclude those in the east or west (Even though I think west has a bigger draw through milton, hamilton, st. catharines etc. ) it would do amazing.

There is definitely a range shortage in this area, especially for a premier indoor range. (I'm assuming it will just be indoor as land in this area is $$$$$ and no one will want an outdoor range near the GTA..)
 
CanAm said:
That may be in the no-gun Toronto zone. I am not sure if that is just Toronto proper or the whole GTA
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Says who? Toronto and Mississauga already have indoor ranges, they are not well known and we desperately need more.
Go to Google Maps and look at Toronto. Look at the highways and industrial areas that will give you some idea.
No one in Toronto wants to drive 30 minutes north/east/west.


Downsview Park might be a long shot :) but it was the Canadian Military Base.
 
Bagels said:
I really hope someone opens a range in Toronto and doesn't milk the members like Targetsports does with their high membership costs. I would love a rifle range with 200-300 yards even in uptown Toronto. That would be amazing. Also the reason i did not buy an ar15 or a handgun is because i dont want to join a range that is 1 or 2 hours away. I would have to xplain to the CFO why I havent joined a range if i own those guns.
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Not too many ranges that have anything beyond 100m. I can think of only 3...from Oshawa to London and South of Barrie. You currently do have to drive out to shoot at those distances.
 
tsmith said:
Says who? Toronto and Mississauga already have indoor ranges, they are not well known and we desperately need more.
Go to Google Maps and look at Toronto. Look at the highways and industrial areas that will give you some idea.
No one in Toronto wants to drive 30 minutes north/east/west.


Downsview Park might be a long shot :) but it was the Canadian Military Base.
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Downsview is in the GTA unfortunately :(
 
baldabe said:
You build it, shooters will show up. GTA is so starved of accessible ranges, that people are driving a couple hours each way to a range.
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This.

When I used to be a member at Silverdale Gun Club in St. Anns, I couldn't beleive how many people were driving all the way from East Toronto even.. Thats an hour 45 and upwards of 2 hours some people were driving 1 way to get there.. unreal.

Luckily at the time I only lived 15 minutes away..
 
K-Roc said:
Kinda makes sense but pretty far no?
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Probably a good location for an outdoor range. Too far from the GTA if the person building the range is trying to be as central as possible in regards to the millions of people in the area. Assuming that's what they want.
 
K-Roc said:
Kinda makes sense but pretty far no?
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I recently joined a range near CFB Trenton. Its 120 kms each way from where I live . I thought that was bad, until I met a guy at the range who comes all the way from King City, add another 80 km each way��
 
Markham Stoufvile area. Just like Target Sports Canada. I will switch to you if you are cheaper. Good area. Easy access to DVP.
 
I gotta agree with bfiles, east end, or north-east end would be great.
From many years of living and commuting from different corners of downtown T.O., and also commuting from Niagara on a regular basis, IMHO, I find it easier to get to and from places in the east end of T.O., better than to go across to the west end. I used to belong to an archery range north-east of metro and that wasn't bad at all. The bottom end of the 400 (where it meets the 401) is one of the biggest highway bottlenecks, and if you can avoid having to negotiate that area, you've done well.

BTW, the anti-gun thing is only a City of Toronto council thing, thanks to the former mayor whose name starts with M. who I shall not glorify by naming him. It applies to anything within city of Toronto boundaries, nothing else. That's why they were able to close the gun club in Union Station, etc., because it was on city-owned property as I understand. And also why they have no problem holding the Hunting/Sportsman's Show, and gun displays, at the Convention Centre on Derry Road out near Pearson because it isn't within Metro Toronto's authority.

BTW, if you could add a decent long range outdoor portion to the proposed club that would be awesome too (like 300+ yards), as it's sorely needed around here.
 
Travelling to east end and north end of DVP always sooo much easier than to west end and downtown. Hence my vote is for Markham Stoufvile and surroundings.
 
K-Roc said:
Kinda makes sense but pretty far no?
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There is already 1 full outdoor range in Orono and 1 full outdoor/indoor range in Newcastle as well as an Archery range on the highway between the two so the likely hood of any municipal bull***t is very low. It's also not that far east.
 
TRich said:
Look for Durham Region like most have said, especially with the 407 running through north of most of the major population centres with the 412 and 418(soon) running up from the 401. Just please don't have ridiculous $600+ a year range fees like another 'just outside the GTA' club. I know you gotta make money as it's a substantial investment.

There is an old Zeller's that has been vacant for 1/2 a decade now at the 401 and Simcoe in Oshawa that is probably the perfect size for an indoor range.
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^^^^^ right here. This is the place!!!!
 
The old peel gun club already has the space (Brampton) and I believe the licensing but they seem to have been taken over by archers. I used to be one of them. Nice place. Room for an indoor 50 yard range (70 yard currently for archery).
 
There are a few empty industrial buildings in Newmarket and aurora that would make great indoor ranges.
 
Georgetown area. Nothing on that side of the GTA gun store or range-wise. Except for Canadian Tire. Georgetown Canadian Tire has reloading stuff and two isles of rifles, including stuff like SKS'. That tells you something! It's an area that elects conservatives reliably in every election.

There are quarries and stuff up on the escarpment that could also be made into pretty nice rifle ranges.
 
2+years waiting lines to get into a club? 600$/year membership fees? There's room for more than one extra shooting range in that area...
 
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