Despite early projections, Whatcom County’s Plantation Rifle Range indoor facilities will not reopen at the end of the month, county staff told the Whatcom County Council during a Tuesday, April 11, Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee meeting.
The indoor shooting range, which has been closed off-and-on for years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns related to environmental health and employee safety, should be able to reopen in June, pending additional funds from the county.
Renovations at the range, including a new roof and a state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, are “98 percent finished,” according to Parks Director Bennet Knox.
“We had some additional design that needed to be done in order to complete this project,” Knox said Tuesday.
The remaining 2% of work will require financial support from the county, and the department has filed a request for another $73,000 to complete the renovations.
“If that is approved, we have contractors, working to get them lined up, to complete this by June,” Knox told council members. “We’re excited to get this complete and get the range back open.”
Initial roof and HVAC renovation costs were approximately $1,070,296. Council will review the $73,000 request Tuesday evening.
