After weeks of pushback from nearby residents, Caledonia's village board on Tuesday pulled the plug on a plan to reopen a police firearm training range at Gorney Park, undoing a vote it had taken in January. The reversal shuts down a brief effort to bring officer firearms training back to a park that had hosted a range decades ago.
According to TMJ4, the board had originally voted unanimously in January to reuse the Gorney Park site, then walked that decision back on Tuesday after residents lined up against the proposal. Neighbors like Shannon Brady welcomed the flip, calling it proof that people who "show up, and they advocate" can move the needle, while others told the board they worried about constant gunfire noise, possible lead contamination and the clash between a shooting range and nearby playgrounds and ballfields.
Neighbors pressed the board over safety, noise and values
Official meeting minutes show several residents used the board's public comment period to air concerns, including Shannon Brady, Robert Zemke and Maxx Brady, and at least one speaker floated Linwood Park as a potential alternative training site. The minutes reflect repeated worries about safety, noise, lead exposure and property values near the park, a clear sign that many neighbors wanted the board to slow down and take another look. According to Village of Caledonia meeting minutes, those comments are now part of the public record.
Police say training access remains a priority
Caledonia Police Chief Christopher Botsch told residents in an April 8 email that the Gorney Park range had "operated safely for many years" until overuse and misuse led to its closure. He said the department will continue working with village staff and trustees to find other options for firearms training. Botsch stressed that high quality firearms training is critical for real world responses, and said the department would look at mitigation steps and alternative sites while the village weighs its choices. According to TMJ4, police estimated that reviving the old range at Gorney Park would have required only minimal work, but they agreed to pursue other approaches after hearing residents' concerns.
What is next for Gorney Park
Trustees now face a familiar balancing act, figuring out how to keep officers fully trained without disrupting nearby homes and park users. Options on the table include continued use of off site facilities, studying possible mitigation measures at Gorney Park or seeking a dedicated training site somewhere else in the village. Neighbors say they plan to keep watching upcoming meetings to make sure their concerns stay in the mix as those decisions play out.
