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By Ana Nita
December 3, 2019 (Lakeside) -- County representatives met with the East County Equestrian Foundation last month to announce that construction for the park will finally start in March of 2020. The initial plan prognosticated a groundbreaking ceremony for late 2018 or early 2019, but as the locals said, better late than never.
The next stage is organizing a bid for construction that is estimated to take 18 months. The county predicts the equestrian park would attract as many as 300 attendees for large events that “are anticipated to take place a few times each year,” per the County’s website for this project.
David Norgard, Chief of Development with County Parks, explained the county will designate a supervising ranger on the site, but the maintenance and managing will be awarded to a third party. East County Equestrian Foundation (ECEF) created just for that in 2012 is up to the task. The nonprofit was funded at the initiative of County Supervisor Dianne Jacob after a failed proposal to build a football field in Moreno Valley got the locals inspired to build an equestrian park instead, which many believe is more suitable for the area.
The conceptual rendering for the project published on the County’s webpage shows a state of the art covered arena designated for “contests, rodeo events, and shows,” including non-equestrian events “such as dog shows and farmers’ market.” The locals hope this will become the epicenter of the equestrian community in Southern California and will help Lakeside to remain more of the country town that has been for decades now.
The county funded the project for $4.6 million and will even pitch in the maintenance cost, but the foundation continues to raise funds to cover many of the expenses involved with managing the site in case they win the bid. The goal is to raise $150,000 and the foundation is more than halfway there with $86,105 donations so far.
Norgard stated at the meeting, “It would be difficult to allow equestrians to organize activities on the site during the construction, but we can ask. If it would cost them time and money, probably won’t be possible.”
Jessie Formeller, Project Manager for the equestrian park, said he will be on site overseeing the construction and “making sure the contractors are building things per plan.” Formeller stated, “We will be working with various county departments to inspect and do all the inspections required. “
“It’s about time they give us some definitive dates,” said Donald Bright, Vice-President of the LEPF. Bright or “Donny” for the Lakesiders who look up to him, was an Indiana boy transplanted to Lakeside five decades ago to help his brother build a house, but then found a wife and never wanted to leave. “I’ve been here 50 years; this is a long time coming,” said Bright. “At one time it was said there were more horses in San Diego County than there is in all the counties in Texas per capita. Well, that’s a lot of horses. El Monte Valley when I first went there had close to a thousand horses,” added Bright. “These people need some place to go show the horses to make use of them besides going to Del Mar or North County.” Bright said of the Lakeside Equestrian Park, “It’s a long time coming and it’s desperately need it.”
Tracy Smith, another board member, shared the same feelings. Smith said she rode her pony and cart during the first Lakeside Parade in 1955. “My hope is that it finally just gets started.” Smith and Bright believe one of the reasons why the equestrian community is diminishing in Southern California is due to lack of equestrian facilities and that the equestrian park in Lakeside will fulfill that need. Bright said, The equestrian community is diminishing because there is no place, no facility available around here. We will do a lot more, we will have weddings, dog shows, lots of different tournaments.” Bright stated, “There are people in North County that are anxious to see this happen, so they would have somewhere else to go besides LA area.
It’s gonna benefit Lakeside quite a bit. We will even have a farmer’s market in there for people around who grow produce and myself included would have a place to sell the abundances that we have. I am pretty excited.”
Asked about the impact of the East County Sand Mine just down the road on Moreno Avenue from the park and also the El Monte Valley planned sand mine across the hill, Bright said he is not worried about it because that’s a non-issue. Bright stated that sand mining “will have nothing to do with the park. That sand mining is one of the better things and it’s owned by Bob Turner and he’s already got a permit, nothing is changing.” Bright said, “The people should look at the positive side of it instead of everybody trying to come up with something negative. The positive part of it, that man produces a lot of jobs in Lakeside. When he gets done there, where the sand was mined, it will be filled up, will put in commercials lots there, the people would be moving in with businesses, building buildings, bringing more jobs into Lakeside. There’s nothing, but a plus.”
Smith said of the equestrian facility, “Everybody will benefit. I mean I will because the love for horses I have and I also know a lot of people who love horses. We need horses in our lives.” Smith was introduced to horses by her dad when she was a little girl and said that changed her life. She said, “When you have a horse in your life it’s something magical, very touching and very precious. Now I have eight grandkids and I would love for every one of them to experience everything that I have and this park is gonna help them do that.”
People interested in contributing and attending the fundraising events can go on ECEF’s website at www.lakesideequestrianpark.com . The foundation has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lakesideequestrianpark .
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