Popular Spring Valley shooting range remains closed

The Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range has been closed since October 2018 for improvements and a rebuilding of the gun and archery ranges. The project includes a new entrance and road off Houston Road. TY GREENLEES / File Photo

The Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range has been closed since October 2018 for improvements and a rebuilding of the gun and archery ranges. The project includes a new entrance and road off Houston Road. TY GREENLEES / File Photo

Firearms enthusiasts are waiting for the re-opening of the state’s most popular shooting range in Spring Valley Twp.

Delays have caused the Spring Valley Wildlife Shooting Range to be closed for more than a year.

The facility, at 3450 Houston Road, was closed to accommodate renovations and improvements of the property. The facility is managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

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The $2.4 million project was originally set to be completed by this past summer, but the excessive rains caused construction delays. In August, an ODNR official told the Dayton Daily News the plan was to re-open by October.

More than a month later, the facilities remain closed and no re-opening date has been announced. An ODNR official did not respond to inquiries in time for the filing of this story.

According to a discussion on the shooting range’s Facebook page, a firearms enthusiast reported that he was informed the facility would be reopened this month.

The 842-acre property contains ranges for a variety of shooting activities, including long- and short-distances for firing pistols, rifles, shotguns and archery practice.

Among the planned improvements is a new entrance closer to Roxanna-New Burlington Road and better overall grading to improve access to the range areas. A new range master building is also part of the plans with restrooms and enhanced safety and security features.

A second phase of the project includes constructing a new education building.

A writer for the Buckeye Firearms Association was granted a tour of the construction site in August.

Brett Beatty, ODNR District 5 wildlife management supervisor, told the BFA there have been “some minor unanticipated issues” but the contractor, Xenia-based R Sutherland Construction, “has managed to stay on schedule.”

The Spring Valley Twp. site is the most-used among public shooting ranges across the state, with up to 30,000 people signing in annually to use the pistol and rifle ranges, according to officials.

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