General
Is the Garrison a gun range?
No. If you are looking for a gun range, you should check out the Guelph Rod and Gun Club, Shooter's Choice, or any other local firearms club.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes, we are currently only open by appointment, and all bookings must be made online a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
What should I wear?
You must wear closed-toed shoes while you are on the range.
Wear something comfortable. Avoid loose fitting clothing. Especially sweaters, scarves, large necklaces or any obstructive wearable that could interfere with your throwing pleasure.
What are the age limits?
The minimum age restrictions are as follows:
Archery: 6 years old
Private Archery Lessons: 6 years old
Group Archery Lessons: 12 years old
Throwing: 16 years old
Children 16 years of age can be left alone on the ranges BUT an adult must sign for them.
Can I leave my child alone at your facility?
Children left alone must be 16 years of age, and an adult must sign for them. Otherwise supervision by a parent or guardian is required*.
*Children under 16 may be left alone during private or group lessons.
I have never done this before. Will you teach me how to do it?
Absolutely! Regardless of which activity you are participating in, we will teach you everything you need to know before you begin. This includes a full safety briefing on how to safely handle the range and equipment, as well as a basic lesson on how to throw or shoot. For more in-depth learning, consider taking one of our group or private lessons.
Do you sell equipment?
No at this time we only have equipment available for on-site rental.
Archery
What kind of rental equipment do you supply for archery?
Archery rentals include a bow(recurve), arrows, an armguard, and a finger tab/glove. Included on the range are a ground quiver, targets, and various games and scorecards for you to use.
Each person is normally given 3 arrows to use. Armguards, finger tabs, and gloves are available in a variety of sizes, and are both modern and traditionally styled.
Do you rent compound bows?
No, while we welcome those who have compound bows on our range, we only rent recurve bows.
Can I drink alcohol while doing archery?
No. Canadian law prohibits the use or consumption of alcohol during archery. Alcohol is not to be taken back onto the range by participant or observer. You may also be denied entry onto the archery range if staff feels as though you are impaired.
I already know how to do archery. Do you still have to teach me the basics?
Yes. Though you may already have archery experience, we need to be sure that you know not just how to shoot, but how to shoot safely in a range atmosphere. If you do not need to be taught, we will still need to observe your shooting to make sure that no unsafe habits have formed.
How is your range set up?
Our range is 18m in length. There are 5 large foam targets, each of which move independently.
Behind the firing line is a large table and some chairs, where you can keep your belongings while you shoot.
I want to have an Archery Birthday Party, what’s the most amount of people I can invite?
The maximum capacity of the archery range is 10 shooter (2 per target) alongside 1 Royal Garrison staff member acting as range master.
Throwing
Do you have shurikens, throwing stars, chakrams, etc?
No. Throwing weapons where the majority of the edges are bladed, like those listed above, are illegal in Canada.
Can I consume alcohol while participating in throwing?
Yes. There are no laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol while throwing.
Memberships
What is a membership?
Memberships are our way of providing people with 24-hour access to our facility for a one-time yearly cost. Members can use our throwing and archery ranges at any time, and have access to member-specific throwing equipment if they do not have their own.
Memberships are available in Youth, Student, Adult, and Family rates.
What is involved in getting a membership?
Potential members must complete a checkout process. This is to assure that your equipment meets all our safety standards, and so we know you can operate safely and independently on the shooting and throwing lines. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE MEMBERSHIP!
The checkout is assumed in the cost of membership and comes at no additional cost, even if you are not approved. Once your check out is complete, there are some forms to sign, and you will be given a full tour of the facility and granted 24-hour access.
Please Email: Info@theroyalgarrison.com to arrange your membership checkout.
Does Membership include the price of Private Lessons, Group Classes, etc.?
No. Memberships only include use of our ranges.
Do I have to have archery or throwing experience to get a membership?
Yes, at least a little. Members must be capable of setting up, maintaining and operating their own gear, especially their archery equipment. They must be able to shoot and throw safely while either unattended or alongside others on the range. You don’t have to be amazing, but you do have to be safe and independent.
Do I have to have my own equipment to get a membership?
All members (including all members of a family membership) are required to have their own archery equipment prior to the check out phase. All member equipment is to be inspected by Royal Garrison staff to make sure it’s in good shooting condition and falls within the Royal Garrison’s equipment specs. We do leave a small selection of throwing weapons available on the throwing range.
Can I bring a friend with me if they do not have a membership? Can I give them lessons?
Members are not permitted to bring guests outside of business hours. All guests MUST be booked into the Garrison system as staff is required to be on site for non-members. Please get in touch with us through the contact page to book your test into the system. All guests of members do receive a discounted range fee.
Members, are NOT permitted to give any kind of lesson on either the archery or throwing ranges.
How will I know if the range is busy or not?
As part of your membership, you will have access to the Members Section of our website. There, you will find updates about special events, as well as an up-to-date calendar containing range availability information.
Please check the range availability calendar before arriving at the Garrison. During busier times, you may be informed that the range(s) are full, and that you will need to wait to use them until any active participants are finished.
I am under 18. Can I come by myself?
Yes, if you’re 16 and above. Any youth members younger than 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian over the age of 18, including when Garrison staff is onsite.
Personal Equipment
Can I bring my own equipment?
Absolutely! Just check the equipment restrictions below to make sure that it is safe for use on our range.
What are the current equipment restrictions?
You can find a list of our equipment restrictions here.
All outside equipment for Throwing or Archery is to be submitted to our staff for a safety checks, equipment can be rejected for any of the above listed reason, or for damage that make it unsafe to use.
Can I bring a gun to the range?
No. The Royal Garrison is not a gun range.
Do you allow Crossbows on the range?
No. At this time crossbows are not permitted at the Royal Garrison.
I just got this new bow. Will you help me set it up?
Yes! Just bring it in during your booking and our staff will show you how to set it up.
Will you tune my bow for me?
If you would like assistance with tuning your bow, consider taking one of our private archery lessons. Our head archery instructor has experience with bow tuning, and can help!
I just made my own equipment. Can I use it at your range?
All do-it-yourself equipment must be of high quality, must be created using reputable methods and materials, and must be inspected and tested by one of our senior staff before use. PVC pipe bows, sticks with twine, and other low-quality materials and equipment cannot be used on our ranges.
You are responsible for any damages or injuries that may occur due to the failure of your DIY equipment.
Catering and Bar
Do you serve any hard liquors at your bar?
At this time we are not licensed for hard liquors. We do have an assortment of beer, ciders, and wines.
Do you serve anything non-alcoholic at your bar?
Yes! We offer coffee, tea, soft drinks and other similar beverages.
Can I bring my own alcohol?
No. Our liquor license does not allow for alcohol to be brought in from outside the Garrison.
I would love to order food from the Round Table. Can I place my order and pay through you?
No. While we are associated with the Round Table and conveniently located right next door, we are separate businesses. All orders must be placed at Round Table with Round Table staff, and all payment must be processed there.
Bookings
How can I book an activity?
You can self-book an activity online in our book now section, or you can contact us through email, and we will create the booking for you.
If you decide to contact us, we will need the following information:
The desired date, time, and duration of your booking
Which activity or activities you would like to participate in
The approximate number of people you would like to book for
Your name, phone number, and email address
Any special information or requests (if applicable)
Why can't I book for one or two hours from now?
All of our staff is on call. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance, to assure that staff is there.
I booked for a certain number of people, but we lost a few. Is that okay?
Absolutely! Things happen and we get it. Payment only occurs for those who show up day-of and participate. Please note: if you are expecting more people come to your booking, depending on size we may not be able to accommodate, it’s always best to get in touch with us to make sure there is space for any additional people.
I made a booking, but can no longer attend. What do I do?
If you need to cancel your booking, you can do so through the confirmation email that was sent to you. Alternatively, you can send us an email and we can cancel or move the booking for you.
What are your current walk-in hours?
We are currently by appointment only and do require a minimum of 24 hours notice for a booking.
I want to book for a certain time. Why won't it give me the option?
You may not be able to book for the time you want if:
That time slot is already full
You are booking for a time that begins less than 24 hours from now
That time has been cancelled due to maintenance or a special event
I'm trying to book, but I want to start between two of the times it's giving me. Why can't I?
We stagger each of our bookings so that our staff can provide their full attention to you when you arrive, and do not need to jump between the archery and throwing ranges during your introduction.
My group is larger than what I can book for. What can I do?
If you have a group larger than you can self-book for, be sure to contact us! We can accommodate groups larger than is listed, but we may need to work with you to plan out your event.
I am part of a company or organization, and we are looking for a team building activity. Can you accommodate us?
Absolutely! Many companies and community organizations have had an event with us, including groups of over 50 people! Just contact us through email or phone, and we will work with you to create an unforgettable experience for everyone!
Where can I find the waiver?
Waivers are provided upon arriving at the Garrison. Should you wish to print it off in advance, you can find a copy at the bottom of any page of our website.
Payment
How much does it cost?
Current pricing for each of our activities can be found in both our pricing and book now sections.
Why can't I pay for my booking online?
With the exception of lessons and certain special events, all payments are made in-person at the Garrison, so there’s no under or over charge, for participants that may have dropped out, or been added to your booking.
Do I need to pay in advance?
Only private coaching and group classes need to be paid in full, in advance of their start. Other than we just require the payment of a deposit, and process all other payments on-site.
Do you accept all methods of payment?
We accept cash, credit, and debit payment. At this time we don’t accept e-transfers, cheques, or any form of bartering or trade.