National Firearms Association donates nets to provide barrier with Wilf Slack practise nets

Persons using the Firing Range and cricketers utilizing the Wilf Slack Nets at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex, can coexist in a more conducive setting.

This has taken on grater significance due to the increasing incidences of damage to vehicles and close calls of persons using the Firing Range being hit by Cricket balls. The National Firearms Association (NFA) has therefore sought to address the situation.

To this end, the NFA has donated protective nets valued at $25,000 to the National Sports Council (NSC), to act as a barrier between the range and the Wilf Slack Nets.
The nets provide sort of canopy as well as protection to the sides of the Cricket practice area.

Manager of the NSC Miles Bascombe, who also is acting President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc. at a brief handing over at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex on March 15, underscored the gesture of the NFA.

“The National Sports Council is indeed grateful to the (National) Firearms Association…the nets will help us to run more efficient Cricket sessions by keeping the balls in the space so you can train intensively, fetching balls whether it be from the airport or the gun range”, Bascombe said.

Rodney Gallenger, a Director of the NFA commented, in giving background to the gesture, noted that “On busy days there are quite a lot of people, quite a lot of parking, quite a lot of vehicles, and over the years we have had to deal with a lot of issues of damage of vehicles.”

Gallenger noted that with the NFA having a membership of close to 1000, the space in the immediate vicinity of the range is always occupied, hence the likelihood of damage to vehicles and persons.