When they decided to open an archery range at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville four years ago, Forest Preserve officials weren’t sure what kind of response to expect.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County began offering instructional archery programs in 2006 and had about 300 participants. Last year, about 1,200 people participated. The response has prompted the district to replace the current makeshift range — essentially targets set up in a parking lot — with a permanent range that can accommodate about four times as many archers.

Justin Frederick, the district’s director of land management and a certified archery instructor, said archery is an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and capabilities, including those with physical disabilities.

“That’s what’s great about archery,” he said. “Anyone can participate in this.”

In addition to two ranges with traditional targets, the proposed facility will include an interactive range, which will allow archers to shoot at targets at a variety of distances and levels.

Andrea Hoyt, the district’s director of planning, said work should begin on the project within the next six months. The first stage will be removing pavement, planting ground cover, clearing overgrowth from the proposed picnic area and taking down old buildings from the swimming beach, she said.

Hoyt said she expects it to take about a year to obtain all the necessary permits from the county to build the archery ranges, the fishing piers and a 50-person picnic shelter.

The ranges, located near Mount Hoy, will be open year round at any time the Forest Preserve is open. District staff members will not supervise the ranges except during scheduled programs.