Stock photo
Gun range stock photo
I bought a house two years ago in a neighborhood off South Shades Crest Road. Very quickly, I found out that there is a nearby outdoor gun range, Brock's Gap Training Center.
They are allowed to shoot from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Yes, you read that right, 9 p.m., every day. All the neighborhoods that are off South Shades Crest Road, from Shades Run to SouthPointe, as well as the residents of Brock's Gap are affected by this. The gun range is shooting within their legal rights, but several residents have reached out to them to see if they would cut back their hours.
All they say is, “they regret you purchased a home near a gun range.” They have no compassion for the surrounding residents. I have reached out to several Hoover city councilmen and Mayor Gary Ivey, who say there is nothing they can do. I asked if they have ever contacted the people of Brock's Gap Training Center to request to cut back their hours and they have not.
Rain or shine, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, there are always loud booms coming from the range. Your home is supposed to be your place of sanctuary, where you come to be with your family and relax after a long day at work. Most of the activity at the range is after work and on the weekends, when you spend the most time at your home.
Hoover has also approved the development of the Lake Wilborn neighborhood. This new development is going to back up directly to the gun range. I have heard that the developers have reached out the Brock's Gap Training Center to ask if they would consider moving but they declined.
Can you imagine kids playing that close to a gun range? Hoover keeps approving these new developments that are near the gun range, and people like me purchase these homes not knowing what is in store. For example, last week I heard the first gunshot at 9:05 a.m., and it didn’t stop until 7 p.m. Then it started back up from 8:15 to 8:45 p.m.
Hoover police use this gun range. So the residents’ tax dollars that pay their salary are the same residents that have to hear their noise pollution. Why can't they use the indoor gun range at Hoover Tactical Firearms? Vestavia and Homewood police use it as well.
Mayor Ivey has admitted that he uses it as well. So our mayor and police are adding to the noise that we have to endure. Doesn't seem like they care too much about the well-being of all their residents. Access to the range is off South Shades Crest Road, which is in Hoover, so why has the city allowed this to happen for all these years?
I am writing this to inform all future and current Hoover residents to be aware when purchasing a home on this side of town, as well as help from our Hoover leaders and compassion from the Brock's Gap Training Center.
Sincerely,
Bill Barnard
