Biathlon Facility Pondered

By 250 News

Aerial view of  plan for the biathlon trail and shooting site. Existing trails on the left,  while  red and white lines and black blocks indicate new area.

Prince George, B.C.- The Caledonia  Nordic  Cross Country Ski Club has taken a shot at  having the City of Prince George  become a partner in the development of a new  Biathlon  facility .  That partnership carries a price tag of $42 thousand dollars. The Club won't find out until budget time if it will get what it wants.

The facility would cost  $201 thousand dollars  and would be  built to competition standards at the Club's Otway Road facility.   In fact,  the  facility would be only one  of four in the country that would be at the level of the Canadian National Championship requirements.

The Club says the balance of funds would come from private donations and the Club's fundraising efforts. The site would be designed so shooters would be firing guns south, towards the gravel hill.

Having such a facility would  help  attract events such as the B.C. Winter games, or the Canada Winter games say the Club's members.

Club President Don Cadden says  the Club has been before Council in the past  when it was looking for support for its new lodge facility and the City supported the construction of that facility which the  club says brought in  between $2.5 and $3 million dollars in economic benefits to the City.

The Club is hopeful of starting geotechnical surveys in the spring of 2009 and  excavation in summer of 2009,  then  fencing and security  by the spring and summer of 2010.

The club expects the  expenses to be in the following range:

Engineering $5,000.

Earth works, excavations, leveling, berms and ski trails   $120,000.

Security    $56,000.

Additional targets and shed  $20,000.

TOTAL:   $201,000

The Club is hoping the City will pick up one third of the $125 thousand for engineering and earth works budget.

Councilor Brian Skakun wanted to know  how noisy the rifle shots will be, and the Club President says  the rifles are " surprisingly quiet", Don Cadden doesn't expect there would be a noise issue.  Caden says there is some interest from the German Women's Biathlon team in coming to Prince George and training at the Otway Centre although the Club hasn't pursued that interest.

The request has been referred to the City's budget discussions which start in January. 

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