The Endako Rod and Gun Club Society has reacquired its range property and facilities, five years after the club fell dormant.
On Friday, the court approved an application by the club to restore its title to the land, which was not contested by the provincial government. The land was escheated to the province in 2019.
Members celebrated their victory with a Club Cleanup Workbee on Sunday, which was attended by 32 adults and 11 kids.
“We had a great turnout and made a good start on restoring our range and facilities,” said club President Lyle Litke. “The buildings will need to be renovated and possibly rebuilt, but we are ready to tackle that.”
The community suffered a series of disruptions, including the closure of the Endako Mine and the Covid pandemic, which disrupted club operations. A core group of former members and executives successfully restored the Society in 2022. In 2023, a new executive was elected and the process of reacquiring their property got started.
From the moment the club hired a lawyer to prepare its case, it took just one year to restore the title.
“This is great news for the Endako club, the B.C. Wildlife Federation, and the sport shooting and hunting community as a whole,” said BCWF Advocacy Coordinator Steve Hamilton. “Being able to provide a safe, and accessible area for people to take part in shooting sports and archery is a big win for the community.”