By CRAIG FREILICH

CANTON -- The Canton Sportsmen Club is seeking new members as it prepares to replace the tamarack clubhouse that collapsed under heavy snow last February.

“We’ll focus on the clubhouse, and then pick up some memberships,” said Jack Townsend, who has been part of the club since it started on 65 acres on Nickerson Road in 1973 with a 32-by-80 foot clubhouse that lasted until it finally gave way last winter.

Townsend says it was purely by chance that the club’s latest insurance policy went into effect about 10 days before the collapse of the 42-year-old building under the weight of snow.

Completion of a new 32-by-40 foot clubhouse with a back deck and a screened in front porch is scheduled for next spring. It was decided to cut down the original size due to the complexity now of code requirements for a larger structure, such as fire sprinklers.

The club still has some of the horseshoe pitches that were used in the summer of 1980 when about 250 people showed up to a statewide horseshow tournament.

There is also a fully gated 100-yard rifle range, a trap-shooting range, a softball field and an outdoor pavilion. And there are plans for a 25-yard pistol range and perhaps restoring an archery range. There is a new scoreboard at the ball field.

“We have more to offer than just a hunting club,” Townsend said, though they will sponsor hunting and snowmobile safety courses.

There are about 75 members now, but Townsend said he hopes to drum up some new members over the winter. Membership dues are $35 a year for a family.

Monthly meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. During the winter, meetings will be at the Canton Fire Department on Riverside Drive. Meetings are open to all. Membership forms will be available.

More info: Jack Townsend, 15 Pine St., Canton, 386-2997.