Youth archery range coming to Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center is adding a new youth archery range with the help of a donation from the Jo Burgess family.

The Burgess Archery Range will have a covered pavilion to protect archers from the elements and six shooting lanes with moveable targets.

Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center Coordinator Elizabeth “Lizzy” Schultz said the new range will be a fun new activity for the community to enjoy for a small fee.

“This new range will be an exciting addition to the nature center’s many programming options. While not open to daily visitors, the archery range can be reserved for birthday parties, school field trips, home school groups, partner organizations or scout troops,” she said in a press release.

“The nature center will also host special public archery days, where anyone is welcome to come and learn about this exciting sport,” Schultz stated.

Joe Youngblood, the township’s Parks, Recreation, Maintenance, Nature Center and Senior Center director, said the nature center was founded thanks to Jo Burgess, so it is not a surprise that she would donate to create the youth archery range, too.

“Jo Burgess was the original founder of creating a Nature Center in Shelby Township, and it is only fitting that we are able to build a youth archery range with donations provided by Jo Burgess. She loved everything and anything about the Nature Center, but her favorite program was the youth archery program. We are very excited to see this completed soon, and we know how happy this would make Jo,” he said via email.

Burgess family member Ruth Peters, who coordinated the donation, said Jo Burgess loved the nature center and always wanted to give to the community.

“Our Aunt JoAnn (aka Jo-Jo) Burgess put her heart and soul into the nature center. Her passion was to provide educational programs for children and families,” she said in an email.

She said it was always Burgess’ dream to have a youth archery range.

“Now, her dream is becoming a reality. I know she is smiling, she said.

The Burgess Archery Range will be open during scheduled programming, and a trained staff member will lead each program and introduce participants to recurve and compound bows. Rental fees will include all equipment and instruction.

Construction on the range should wrap up this fall, and residents can view progress on the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center’s Facebook page.

In addition to the Burgess Archery Range, River Bends Park has a public trap and archery range. Find the range off the Ryan Road entrance at 4863 River Bends Drive.

The range is open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. or dusk, whichever is earlier, Thursdays-Sundays. Patrons can purchase required daily or annual passes at the nature center or online at register.shelbytwp.org.

Daily range passes are available for $6 per day per shooter. Senior and junior daily range passes cost $4 per day per shooter for shooters ages 65 and older and shooters younger than 15.

An adult must accompany all junior shooters. Annual range card fees are $40 per year per shooter, and annual range cards for senior and junior shooters cost $30 per year per shooter.

For more information, visit shelbytwp.org or call the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center at (586) 323-2478.