By: Colin Batt.
Secretary GRC 2007
Who would have suspected that on June 24th, 1955 a small group of like minded individuals interested in the art of precision handgun shooting would get together to form a club to practice and promote their recreational sport. This historic meeting took place in the offices of the Alliance Paper Mills in Georgetown.
Examination of the original club records shows that the following officers were elected as the first executive:
President - Jack Creighton
Secretary Treasurer - Roy Robson
Range Master - Paul Barbour
Screening Officer - Police Chief, Roy Haley
The club was to become known as:
The Georgetown Revolver Club
Of course, times and attitudes towards the recreational and sporting use of firearms were decidedly different from those currently in vogue, and firearm use as a recreational sport was an accepted norm in most communities.
The misleading and often biased negative opinion from well meaning but misinformed activists had not yet reached the levels seen in today's media outbursts.
The club records show that for a princely sum of $5.00 for initiation and a monthly fee of $0.25 an interested individual could apply for membership.
All applicants had to pass a screening by the local police chief, who also happened to be member of the club. One record of note indicated the rejection of an applicant due to his being underage and of questionable character.
This loose group of individuals used range facilities available at the nearby Georgetown Armories and also pursued an affiliation with the Georgetown Anglers and Hunters Club to gain access to their outdoor range.
On July 25th,1955 the club agreed to adopt a constitution and Bye-Laws similar to those in use by the East York Police Association Revolver Club.
During this period the group was searching the surrounding area for a suitable site for their own range, and found a property thought to be ideal for the use envisaged. Negotiations for its purchase ensued immediately.
The small hamlet of Limehouse on the Niagara escarpment, now encompassed within the township of Halton hills saw this enthusiastic group purchase a small but well suited piece of land bordering the now defunct radial railway that ran between Georgetown and Guelph.
The new range site was part of the Fred Woods farm, and was aquired for $400.00 which was $100.00 below the maximum limit authorized for the purchase.
From this point on the club operated and held meetings on its own property, and members were offered shares for $25.00 each which could be purchased at $1.00 per week until paid up.
Using this method the original building was financed by the club members without the need for any external mortgage.
The period of July through December 1957 saw all shooting curtailed while a range building was constructed. An acrylic painting of this original building was completed by one of the members (Ron Walnock) and remains on display in the current range meeting room. Members of this small but active club would use this area to practice their shooting sports throughout both winter and summer months.
Shooting took place within the club grounds, and used the natural earth backstop at the rear of the property. During this period the club was actively advertising for members in local stores and weekly newspapers.
As time went by and the club membership increased it became inevitable that the clubhouse and range would need to be enlarged.
This was achieved by building a veranda extension that could be enclosed to allow shooting to continue throughout the winter months, and records show that this was achieved in 1958. The Georgetown Police also rented the range two days per month for training and paid the club $225.00 p.a. for use of the facility in 1965.
A number of years passed and the shooting skills developed within the club saw its members attending both local and provincial competitions, and the club became home to a number of "Expert" and "Master" class shooters.
The first challenge shoots were conducted in 1965 and were between the Streetsville and Dofasco clubs.
During the 1960's - 1980's the club was developing extremely skilled competitive shooters that were attending and performing well at both Canadian and U.S. competitions in both NRA and ISSU matches. In 1965 the club boasted three "Master" class shooters within its membership.
The club continued to flourish and the 1990's saw the erection of a state of the art indoor shooting facility housing eight shooting stations equipped with regulation turning targets for both NRA and ISSU shooting disciplines.
Recent years have seen the range further upgraded with high volume ventilation and sound proofing to walls and roofing together with steel wall linings that meet the latest CFO range certification requirements. The club continues to operate year round and conducts an extremely strict range safety environment, whereby all members are trained for both shooting skills and safety to levels that meet or exceed government standards.
Within the past five years the club has seen a major resurgence in membership, and currently includes members representing a wide cross section of the surrounding communities. i.e. Business Owners, Doctors, Dentists, Office Staff, Teachers, Printers, Chemists, Police, Engineers, Inspectors etc.
All of these members enjoy their chosen sport and practice it with enthusiasm and safety. The club is also proud of the fact that some of the original members are still active within the club, and continue to pass on their knowledge and skills to the younger members.
During the past fifty years the members have shown themselves to be above average citizens, that have pursued their sport with enthusiasm and without need for concern regarding issues of safety. The club has operated in harmony with its surroundings throughout its long existence.
The GRC is extremely proud of its achievements over the years and invites interested or potential members to contact the club, whereby arrangements can be made for a practical tour of the facilities, and an explanation of the club activities.
The initiation and probationary requirements for club membership are necessarily strict and lengthy, but well worth the effort for interested individuals, and above all an enjoyable experience.
The truth about this exciting and challenging sport will be explained in detail and the facilities and enthusiasm of our members will allow for a balanced incite into what is most assuredly one of the greatest mental and disciplined sports in which to participate.
The knowledge obtained will certainly enable you to have a more informed view of this challenging sport when compared to the negative and generally misleading media reports relating to firearms use in general.
Our members are not public enemy #1
We detest the criminal use of firearms
We promote safe recreational target shooting
We support all efforts to confiscate illegal firearms
Our members are the wrong target
Fifty Years of "SAFE" recreational target shooting
