Eagle Creek Pistol Range - update

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  • GoDawgs

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Nov 16, 2010
    313
    16
    NWI
    I couldn't find contact info for the parks dept, so I emailed the mayors office yesterday and asked about the status of the Eagle Creek Pistol Range and possible refunds. Here was the response this morning:

    "thanks for your interest in the ECP pistol range. We are in a transition currently and are eager to have it open to the public again as soon as possible. That will most likely be in the next couple of weeks. If you would prefer a refund, just let me know. We appreciate you being a member and as the voicemail message there indicates, you can call me anytime. That voicemail will be updated with a specific timeline once one is confirmed."

    Even if "the next couple of weeks" winds up being longer than that, it does sound like they are intending to reopen the facility this year. Just thought it would be helpful for those of you with unused 10-visit passes or memberships.

    If you are interested in getting a refund or need more info, PM me and I'll send you the contact information for the person who responded. It sounds like she was the one who directly facilitated the refunds.
     

    85t5mcss

    Master
    Rating - 95.2%
    20   1   0
    Mar 23, 2011
    2,037
    38
    Zionsville-NW Indy
    If you are interested in getting a refund or need more info, PM me and I'll send you the contact information for the person who responded. It sounds like she was the one who directly facilitated the refunds.
    Can u PM them the links (I'll start digging them up) so that they see you are not the only one waiting. Listening to IMPD makes me wanna go over there, but no can do. I must wait til the weekend. I have been by there every weekend for 6 weeks, Saturday and Sunday looking for some sort of posting but to no avail. I have no refund do, I would like to use the facility, though. Especially since it's so close.
     

    misconfig

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   1
    Apr 1, 2009
    2,495
    38
    Avon
    After what had happened there, I'd prefer to get a refund for my pre-paid card, I don't think I'll be visiting there any longer.
     

    Disposable Heart

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 99.6%
    246   1   1
    Apr 18, 2008
    5,805
    99
    Greenfield, IN
    GoDawgs,

    Thank you for your proclivity in this matter! :) I have tried emailing the parks folks (my management) about this situation, how much it's costing them to keep it closed, etc... I wanted to put something more durable in regards to a complaint in, but then again, I want to keep my job there.

    If enough folks email them, this will work. Not just for refunds (that actually has an effect, believe me, they will lose TONS of cash on those deals), but the outrage concerning this. Their bureacratic slogging is costing them THOUSANDS of dollars of income and I really don't think they understand what the situation is. We, gun owners, aren't just a bunch of birdwatchers or kayakers, we have passion for our sport and will take it up with levels above the red tape to get it across.

    Honestly, I get tired of emails, PMs and folks at gunstores asking me when the range will be open. They have tapered back, but still, it's a pain for someone to essentially be "working" promoting the range, but not being paid for it plus the feeling of being abandoned by the powers at the park. :( The other ROs will post when the range will reopen. Check the phone number, but the website we had is down. But if anything, keep up those emails. If anyone knows anyone else in the parks department, hit them up. Anyone know the mayor? Hit him with an email. Let these folks know your disgust with this.

    Misconfig: What, I'm not fun enough for you out there? :D :D
     

    curraheeguns

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    77   0   0
    Nov 8, 2008
    4,485
    83
    NW Hendricks County
    I have not really released this info yet, but when I made the decision to move the Hush Indiana shoot from ECR to MCF&G it was told to me that the city was going to start limiting the use of the range to the public but that they would talk about my shoot and get back with me.

    At that point (seeing the sunset) I immediatly started the process of changing locations to MCF&G.

    To this day (Almost three weeks) ECR has yet to return my call and I have yet to tell them I am no longer interested, nor will ever be interested in renting ECR.
     

    Walter Zoomie

    Shooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 3, 2008
    921
    18
    BeechTucky
    What I want to know is WHY?
    Why is it closed to the public, but he cops can still use it?
    This really burns my arse.
    Is it not on park property?
    Is the park not open to the public?
    Is it not supported by our tax dollars?
    Why did all this happen?
    The taxpayers of this city deserve some answers. :xmad:

    I sent the Mayor's office a little nasty-gram.
     
    Last edited:

    henktermaat

    Master
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    11   0   0
    Jan 3, 2009
    4,952
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    After what had happened there, I'd prefer to get a refund for my pre-paid card, I don't think I'll be visiting there any longer.

    I want to know. You can help me decide to get a refund, or give them another chance. You aren't just talking about them closing, right?
     

    ekg98

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jun 25, 2008
    93
    6
    I have always thought the range should be closed to the police and opened to the public. Public actually pays admission. Police might get more money in because of the new speeding campaign however.
     

    chizzle

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Dec 8, 2008
    1,688
    38
    Indianapolis
    Someplace to shoot while Eagle Creek is closed

    As a member of the shooting community and a taxpayer, I'm very disappointed that Eagle Creek isn't open to the public at this time. Steve (who used to run it) did a great job, and maintained a very nice facility.

    If you're interested in other shooting ranges while Eagle Creek is closed, I'd recommend the following:

    Marion County Fish and Game: www.IndyRange.org
    It is a few miles from Eagle Creek. In order to use the range, you either need to attend our Safety Orientation and purchase a membership (available this Tuesday May 3rd at 7:15 pm), be the guest of a member (they must be there with you), our you may participate in a scheduled event and pay an additional fee.

    Atlanta Conservation Club: www.AtlantaCC.net
    This one is a little further from Eagle Creek (Atlanta, IN near Kokomo), but they have a very nice facility. Again, you need to purchase a membership at this facility to use it, but it's an exceptionally nice range.

    I think the common theme you'll notice is that these ranges require an annual membership fee and Safety Orientation. We want our members to be safe, and the annual membership fee is needed to keep the doors open (insurance, maintenance, improvements, matches, etc.).

    Good luck on your search for a new home while Eagle Creek is temporarily closed. Hopefully they'll find someone as good as Steve to get it back open again.
     

    GoDawgs

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Nov 16, 2010
    313
    16
    NWI
    As a member of the shooting community and a taxpayer, I'm very disappointed that Eagle Creek isn't open to the public at this time. Steve (who used to run it) did a great job, and maintained a very nice facility.

    If you're interested in other shooting ranges while Eagle Creek is closed, I'd recommend the following:

    Marion County Fish and Game: www.IndyRange.org
    It is a few miles from Eagle Creek. In order to use the range, you either need to attend our Safety Orientation and purchase a membership (available this Tuesday May 3rd at 7:15 pm), be the guest of a member (they must be there with you), our you may participate in a scheduled event and pay an additional fee.

    Atlanta Conservation Club: www.AtlantaCC.net
    This one is a little further from Eagle Creek (Atlanta, IN near Kokomo), but they have a very nice facility. Again, you need to purchase a membership at this facility to use it, but it's an exceptionally nice range.

    I think the common theme you'll notice is that these ranges require an annual membership fee and Safety Orientation. We want our members to be safe, and the annual membership fee is needed to keep the doors open (insurance, maintenance, improvements, matches, etc.).

    Good luck on your search for a new home while Eagle Creek is temporarily closed. Hopefully they'll find someone as good as Steve to get it back open again.

    I've been thinking about this more and more. I don't have a lot of friends who own/shoot firearms and I'd like to join some sort of community in addtion to having a reliable place to shoot. MCFG is probably 25 minutes from me and ACC is 45-50. Outside of distance for me personally, what does each facility offer? Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun? I don't own a longer range firearm, but how long do the lanes go out? Can I practice drawing from a holster and possibly moving or is it more of a indoor-style facility with strict lanes? thanks
     

    RobertaX

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 12, 2008
    47
    8
    Broad Ripple
    I'm pretty disappointed in the city over this. More of Mayor Ballard's hostility to gun-owners or straight-up SNAFU?

    Either way, I've written to the Mayor's Action Center and received a polite, "Real soon now" from Indy Parks, with no actual, you know, opening date listed.

    I wrote the Mayor today and I have put links to both in an article on my blog.

    Tonight is Marion County Fish & Game's May meeting. I'm gonna be there; it's about time I joined up.

    But darn it, this city has a public range and it should be open to the public! I don't begrudge IMPD's use of it -- I really want peace officers to keep their gun-handling skills up to par -- but the rest of us need frequent practice, too.
     

    jimbo-indy

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Apr 3, 2008
    935
    18
    N.W. Indy
    I'm no expert on this but, I have heard from generally reliable & trusted sources that Eagle Creek Range was built for the Pan-Am games and was paid for by federal $. Part of the agreement that came with the $ is that the range be open for public use. This would seem to indicate that the city needs to find a new manager, hire RO's and get this thing going again. At least that's my understanding.
    As to why it closed, I can say it was due to internal problems. The city administration did not intend to close the range this year. It just happened to work out that way. I heard they were posting a job opening for a manager.
    The above is my understanding and in no way should be taken as "gospel truth".
     

    RobertaX

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 12, 2008
    47
    8
    Broad Ripple
    Staffing that range is not a high-paying job and every one I met was doing it for the fun of it and to support our hobby -- a very good group. But possibly not an ideal match for the (no doubt equally dedicated) career bureaucrats at Indy Parks.

    As for "it just happened," that's a pretty big thing to "just happen." You'll excuse me if I express some skepticism, especially since Mayor Ballard has repeatedly shown himself to be no friend to law-abiding gun-owners. At the very least, there's probably zero pressure from above on Indy Parks to get anything done about it.

    At this point, I'm done with anything but needling the city over this. I joined Marion County Fish & Game. I'll be asking the Parks department for a refund on my multi-visit pass. I liked Eagle Creek Range but it's gone.
     
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