Clear Creek and Gilpin counties have announced the groundbreaking of their new sport shooting complex near Dumont. A contract has been signed with Himmelman Construction, LLC of Lakewood, Colorado, for $1,408,379, and the construction of the operations center is underway. Additionally, a contract has been signed with Metals Treatment Technologies of Arvada, Colorado, for lead remediation and mitigation of the site which had been a private shooting range for over 30 years. The shooting park construction is expected to be completed and the park operational by June 2024.

The sport shooting park project was awarded $1,160,000 in grants from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The project budget is now at $1,835,000 after contributions from Clear Creek County and Gilpin governments. Once the shooting park is operational, the U.S. Forest Service will implement permanent shooting restrictions on 46,195 acres of national forest land in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties.

“There is an increasing need for shooting opportunities that are safe, responsible, and affordable to different types of shooters, and this range is designed to meet those needs,” Clear Creek Special Projects Manager Lisa Leben said. “It will address dispersed recreational shooting on U.S. Forest Service property which is causing safety concerns and impacts to the natural resources in both Clear Creek and Gilpin counties.”

The shooting park will include 45 shooting lanes and an operations building with restrooms, a classroom, a small retail area and an office. The facility will operate year-round. Clear Creek County is seeking proposals from interested parties to operate and manage the new facility as concessionaires. Please contact Lisa Leben at lleben@clearcreekcounty. us or 303-679-2434 for more information.

Clear Creek County is providing updates on the project on their website at clearcreekcounty.us. The successive links are Government, Recreation, Sport Shooting and Clear Creek Shooting Sports Park Project. The search term to look at the map of national forest land that will be designated as unsuitable for dispersed recreational sport shooting is: Recreational Sport Shooting Management Final Decision Web Map. Click on the ArcGIS link. The map can also be accessed at the Gilpin County Community Development website. It is under Special Projects and the link is Recreational Sport Shooting Collaborative.