Some of the money to relocate a police gun range away from Evendale and Lincoln Heights has been identified. The estimated price tag is at least $27 million. Twenty-one million has been pledged by the county, Cincinnati and the federal government.
County Administrator Jeff Aluotto says the price tag for a new facility could run as high as $42 million if everything planned was built at once. "We talked about a skid pad and a K-9 training area. Those are things that maybe right out of the gate do not need to be initially included. All of those things can help save costs in the interim and pull us down towards the bottom end of this cost range."
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The gun range could be used not only by Cincinnati Police and Hamilton County deputies, but other law enforcement departments and agencies.
Commissioner Stephanie Sumerow Dumas says more help is needed to raise the money. "There are lots of other partners who are doing a lot of talking, and we see three entities up there giving money," she says of the county, the city and the federal government. "Talk is cheap as far as I'm concerned. [Others] are not incredible partners."
Hamilton County commissioners voted two-and-a-half years ago to close the Cincinnati Police range which is next to Lincoln Heights, citing neighbors’ complaints about noise, and psychological and environmental harm.
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Commission President Alicia Reece says there is a need to fast-track the project. "I've seen other projects that take less time and it's not an environmental justice issue. It comes here and they say we need to get it done, and we try to work with them, and they try to work with us. I want the same speed on this issue."
The new facility in northwest Colerain Township on East Miami River Road, west of Blue Rock Road, could be built out in 18 to 24 months.
