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'Thrill' is back at newly renovated Naperville Sportsman's Park range

The familiar command of "pull!" and the crackle of shotguns returned Sunday to Sportsman's Park in Naperville, much to the delight of marksmen who endured a six-month renovation of the park district's trapshooting range.

"It's fabulous. We couldn't be more happy," said Jim Monk, the Naperville Sportsman's Club president, as he cleaned his gun at the facility's clubhouse. "We missed it. Everybody loves it. Everybody is excited. Christmas came a couple days early."

The range at 735 S. West St., near Knoch Park and downtown Naperville, reopened Dec. 21. It was closed during a $5 million renovation and lead remediation project that began in June.

Club members now use shells filled with steel pellets instead of lead shot, which was banned in 1998 after a lawsuit.

Headed by the Naperville Park District, the renovation project is nearly done, save for paving an access road and planting a slew of trees on the facility's western edge. The project included removing lead shot, building a parking lot with permeable pavers and installing upgraded lights for night shooting.

"This is going to be world-class when it's done in the spring," said Steven Pfister, a Naperville resident and member of the club's board of directors.

Pfister was out shooting last week. On Sunday he was joined by his father-in-law Ray Wieser, a club member since 1970, and Pfister's son, Dan.

"It's a treasure," Pfister said of the park and range, adding that more than 200 members came out for last weekend's reopening. "We're in downtown Naperville, and it's a pleasure to be here."

The range now includes a sidewalk leading to the third shooting station. The target area has been increased from 16 to 27 yards. Before the renovation, people had to walk through grass and mud to get to the station.

The club has target shooting Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. and also shoots on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Shooting under the new lights will take place for the first time Jan. 8.

"It will take a week or two to figure out how the light will take hold," said Dennis Mills, a Naperville residents and club member. "I'll shoot a few more (rounds) this afternoon because it's a nice day, a beautiful day. My kids are out of college, out of the house. I just got back into it. It hadn't shot for years, since I was a teenager."

The club is working on a grand reopening ceremony in the spring, but no date has been set. according to Monk. The club is open to the public. For more information, visit napervillesportsmansclub.org.

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  A clay target explodes Sunday as it is hit at Sportsman's Park in Naperville. Trapshooting returned to the park this month, following a $5 million renovation that kept it closed about six months. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Sport shooters line up to shoot clay targets Sunday at Sportsman's Park in Naperville. Trapshooting returned recently after a six-month renovation that included updated facilities and soil cleanup. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  A sign warns of lead dangers Sunday at Sportsman's Park in Naperville. These days, however, shooters use shells filled with steel pellets instead of lead. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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