Several new Camp Perry facilities, building renovations and facility improvements are now in their finishing stages and will be ready when 2008 National Matches competitors, volunteers and visitors begin to arrive in early July. Among these new or revitalized facilities are an 80-point CMP air gun range, an expanded National Guard electronic skills trainer, a bathhouse to support RV and tent camping, a new Shooters Memorial Plaza, a new speaker system for the Viale Range pits, CMP Store renovations and major renovations to CMP administrative facilities in its Camp Perry headquarters building. New beach cottages also are under construction, but will not be finished in time for the National Matches.

Here is a run-down of the new and renovated facilities that will await the arrival of 2008 National Matches competitors at Camp Perry this summer.

Air Gun Range. The Camp Perry facility that promises to have the hugest impact on the future expansion of the shooting sports is a new CMP Air Gun Range that is part of a “Joint Use Facility” currently being constructed by the Ohio National Guard and the CMP. Both organizations provided funding for the project. The air gun range occupies approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of space on the north end of the building that is located between the east end of the Petrarca covered firing points and the Camp Perry water tower. The range has 80 firing points, each equipped with Megalink electronic targets. The range also features a full electronic display to show spectators graphic images of all shots and scores fired on the range. The first training activity on the range is scheduled to take place during the week of 9-13 June. The range will host a CMP Junior Rifle Camp on 23-27 June and will be the site of the 2008 National Matches Air Gun Events that begin on 7 July and continue through mid-August. The south part of the building houses National Guard electronic skills trainers. Both facilities are joined by a common area with classrooms, offices and bathrooms.

New Bath House. A new bath house with showers and toilets was constructed by the Ohio National Guard to provide facilities for the Camp Perry RV Park, located just to the north of the bath house, and tent camping, which is permitted in the area just to the south of the RV Park. This new facility will be especially important for National Matches competitors who are interested in tent camping. Tent camping is now permitted at Camp Perry and with the availability of showers and toilets; this may be a convenient way for many competitors to keep National Matches housing costs under control. Contact the Camp Perry Clubhouse at http://www.cplcc.com/ for more information.

Shooters’ Memorial Plaza. The Critchfield Memorial erected near the main flagpole at Camp Perry in honor of the founder of Camp Perry, is now becoming the center piece of a new Shooters’ Memorial Plaza being developed by the Friends of Camp Perry, with support from the Air National Guard’s 200th Red Horse Squadron, which is based at Camp Perry. In addition to memorializing General Ammon Critchfield, who established Camp Perry in 1906 and 1907, the Friends of Camp Perry are selling bricks to be engraved and installed in the plaza to memorialize individuals who have been part of Camp Perry history. Individuals interested in purchasing a brick to honor a shooter, friend or family member may do so at a cost of $50.00 per brick. For details, go to the Friends of Camp Perry website at http://www.friendsofcampperry.org/.

CMP Store Renovation. A mandatory stop for most Camp Perry visitors is to check out the CMP Store and the government surplus rifles that it offers for sale. Most of these visits end with the purchase of another M1 Garand or other prized, historic rifle. This year’s featured sales focus on M1 Carbines. For example, on 7 July, the day of the 2008 National Matches First Shot Ceremony, the CMP Store will offer for sale Standard Products M1 Carbines that were manufactured in Port Clinton, Ohio during WW II. The CMP Store recently underwent a renovation that was completed in time for a reopening on 12 March. The CMP Store renovations were designed to improve customer access to rifles and to increase security controls.

CMP Administrative Facilities. In November 2006, the CMP took over the old Bataan Armory area in center of Bldg. #3, its Camp Perry headquarters building. 2007 National Matches competitors will remember that this area was used for National Matches In-Processing and Small Arms Firing School registration and that its lack of air-conditioning made it uncomfortable during many of these days. The CMP Board of Directors recently provided an appropriation to renovate these facilities. This project also is scheduled for completion before the 2008 National Matches. The complete renovation will not only provide a large air-conditioned facility for National Matches In-Processing, but will also give the CMP a new printing center, a photography studio, an exercise facility, new bathrooms and showers, a kitchen to support CMP events and well as three additional classrooms.

Viale Range Pit Speakers. Another facility improvement is just starting, but is due for completion prior to the National Matches highpower rifle competitions. The CMP is providing funding to install electrical connections and a new system of speakers along the entire catwalk on Viale Range. This change replaces the decades-old speaker system that has been used in the Camp Perry pits and that failed more than once during recent matches.

Re-Pavement of Camp Perry Roads.  The re-pavement of Davey Road (runs along west-side of Camp Perry) and Scorpion Road (runs along east-side of Camp Perry) has started and will be completed prior to the National Matches which begin on 6 July.

Thanks to these changes, competitors, volunteers and visitors coming to Camp Perry for the 2008 National Matches can expect several new and improved facilities to support this year’s competitions.

If you have not yet made your entry in this year’s CMP National Match events, you can do so by starting at the “2008 National Match Information” pull-down menu on the CMP homepage at http://www.odcmp.com/. From there you can download programs and enter on-line.

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