The future of the Squamish Rod and Gun Club is in question as it struggles to co-exist with new housing developments.

The 75-year-old shooting range may become the victim of urban sprawl.

Squamish has been an increasingly attractive choice for home buyers priced out of the Lower Mainland real estate market, and development in the city has been on the rise.

"The club has been in its present position for 75 years and obviously the development of residential homes has gotten closer and closer to us," explained club president Mike Wallace.

The problem is the club uses a giant rock face as a safety barrier which muffles noise for most residents. But some of the noise resonates for residents on the opposite side, he said, mainly those who live in Garibaldi Highlands.

According to Mayor Patricia Heintzman, there have been about six noise complaints in the last few years.

"Anecdotally, it is something that I and council get quite a few verbal complaints about. Maybe a couple a month," she said. "Not a huge amount but definitely more than most other issues."

Noise-cancelling solutions hard to find

With the complaints, the club is under fire to come up with some noise-cancelling solutions.

Wallace said the club is looking into noise abatement methods like the use of silencers on the club's guns. However, silencers are currently illegal in Canada.

"We're hopeful that we may be able to have some influence with the federal government to allow the use of these," he said. "We're not the only club that's affected by noise that is upsetting to some of the residents that may be close by."

Moving the club would be a drastic step, Wallace said.

The club's long, flat expanse of land — with a natural bluff to act as a safety barrier — works well, and it's tough to find similar strips of land.

The costs of construction at this stage would also be expensive.

Heintzman agreed.

"Some day the club may need to find a new location, she said. "There are no immediate or even near-term plans to close or move the club but we are working with them to explore options to attenuate noise."

With files from The Early Edition

To listen to the interview, click on the link labelled Noise complaints put future of Squamish gun club in question