Caught in gears of Cook County government, generations-old gun club faces extinction

|By Erika Slife, Tribune reporter

Since the 1920s, the little beige house that sits alongside Interstate 57 in Markham has served as the headquarters of the Blue Park Gun Club, a small group of recreational shooters started by World War I veterans that’s now in its third generation of families.
Most weekends, dozens of members — more if the weather is nice, fewer if it’s not — gathered at the clubhouse to take aim at clay pigeons, 25 shots a turn. One of the enthusiasts, a restaurant chef, has been known to whip up escargot in the home’s bucolic kitchen; others pestered their 80-year-old president to take his pills. Old photos and Christmas cards hang on the walls.

This year, the shooting range is silent. The trap throwers, ready to spit out the circular, orange clay pigeons, are turned off. In the windows, signs warn: “No Shooting Allowed.”
The gun club finds itself caught in the gears of government. For decades, its longtime landlord, the Cook County Board, was OK with letting the hobbyists fire away. But now that the landlord is wearing a different hat, as the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the club’s use of the land is in jeopardy.
The group owns the land the clubhouse sits on, as well as the turf where the shooters stand. But since the 1960s, the club has had to lease the land that makes up the firing range from the Cook County Board. Back then, members were forced to move the house a few yards after the state took two-thirds of their small parcel as part of the interstate’s construction.
Last year, however, the County Board transferred the land to the County Forest Preserve District to make good on an old deal — an easy swap to make because county commissioners double as forest preserve commissioners. Suddenly, the shooting range, where members long ago planted trees and brush to muffle the echo of gunshots, was not a welcome amenity on forest preserve land.
New Forest Preserve District Superintendent Arnold Randall cited concerns about liability and setting precedents. Now Blue Park members are asking forest preserve commissioners to make an exception to the district’s policy of not leasing public land for private use. A resolution allowing the gun club to use the land narrowly passed out of committee, and the full board will consider the measure Thursday.
The gun club members are nervous.
“Nobody even knew we were here,” Joe Landgraf, 60, said during a recent tour of the property, where his father once served as president and where he now takes his own kids shooting.
“We don’t bother anybody, nobody bothers us,” added Ed Holmes, 63.
It’s not the first time the club has faced extinction. In 1967, the club thought its days were numbered as the interstate was being built. But it reached a deal with the county to lease 4.75 acres near Pulaski Avenue and the highway, land that had been used as a dumping ground for rebar, concrete and asphalt during construction.
For $30 a month, members were allowed to shoot clay pigeons on weekends and holidays. More recently, they could shoot only on Sundays, for $4,160 a year.
In the meantime, gun club members spruced up the acreage. They buried construction debris under grass, and reburied hunks of asphalt or concrete that popped out of the earth. They planted a variety of trees and shrubs along the perimeter of the firing range, paying from their own pockets to bring in soil to help the plants grow in the landfill-hard ground. Cleanup days were mandatory, held once a month to pick up shattered clay pigeons and ammunition casings in the shooting range.

The lease continued uninterrupted and under the radar until 2007.
That’s when a group of county commissioners demanded that the Forest Preserve District be compensated for $13 million that the county had transferred from the forest preserve budget to the county budget to help ease a shortfall. Ostensibly, the money was the repayment of a county transfer to the Forest Preserve District in 2001 and 2002, but there was no documentation detailing whether it was a loan, officials said.
So the County Board voted to transfer 176 acres of surplus county land surrounding Oak Forest Hospital to the Forest Preserve District. Amid that land, on the far eastern border, is the shooting range.
The county offered to sell the land to the gun club, but only as part of a 32-acre tract. The asking price of more than $1 million was well out of the gun club’s reach, said Charles Pavesich, a member and attorney for the club. “We are the meaning of ‘not-for-profit,'” Pavesich said.
So when the forest preserve took possession of the land, gun club members were notified that they were no longer permitted to shoot on the property as of Jan. 1.
“We’re not against people’s rights to bear arms or even go to ranges,” said Superintendent Randall, a former Marine. “But I think having a live-fire range in the forest preserve is an inappropriate use.”

Source: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-05-29/news/ct-met-cook-county-gun-club-20110529_1_shooting-range-clay-pigeons-county-commissioners

Although wines are widely available in most Asian countries, especially in Hong Kong which has eliminated import tariff on wines altogether, the availability of fine vintage wines is still very scarce. Most wine merchants offer big names, young vintages and cheaper wines for everyday consumption. Wine lovers and connoisseurs looking for something special often travel to Clark Pampanga Philippines to do their shopping at this Wine Shop in Manila.

At Yats Wine Cellars we believe that a little bit of knowledge in wine goes a long way to developing expectations in the wines we choose to buy or drink. Without expectation, it is difficult to really enjoy wine to its fullest. With this in mind, efforts are made by Yats Wine Cellars to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our clients to learn more about wine.

Birthday wine gifts is one of the most popular birthday gifts to give someone living in the Philippines. Fine Vintage wine from Yats Wine Cellars is a sure winner and it does not have to cost a great deal to send someone a bottle in Philippines

To avail of wine catering service of Yats Wine Cellars, just contact this wine supplier in Manila or Angeles Clark Philippines for a meeting to design a theme for the event. The venue for a wine event can be in the privacy of a home, the convenience of an office in Manila for example or in a clubhouse of a subdivision. Wine glasses and accessories necessary for wine service are included in the wine catering service. Moreover, interesting wine notes accompany the wine to help participants enjoy the event even more by learning a little bit about wine while enjoying the party. A wine steward will be present to serve the wine.

There is also an exciting collection of white wine from Burgundy at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Meursault, Chablis, Chassagne Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne and St. Aubin. Red wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhone are also available with a good depth of back vintages too. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com