Westside Community Park Committee to host upcoming meetings on horse park plan
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. — As it prepares to submit an application for state grant funding for a new horse park, the Westside Community Park Committee is planning a series of upcoming meetings to gather public input.
The committee recently held the first of five public meetings to engage the community in the design of the Westside Community Horse Park.
The meeting was held at the site of the future park on Highway 175 west of Lakeport and attended by more than 30 people.
Following a barbecue hot dog dinner by Walt and Jaxan Christensen, those in attendance were able to view the site and offer their ideas for development.
These meetings are part of preparing an application to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation for $3 million in funding available from voter approved Proposition 68.
Westside Community Park Committee Board Member, Carol Maxwell, is leading the planning for the grant application.
“I encourage everyone interested in seeing the development of a Horse Park serving our entire region to attend and offer input in the design,” Maxwell said. “This is a competitive grant application process and public participation is critical to a successful application.”
The first meeting built upon the results of an online survey completed by over 200 people offering opinions regarding the needs of those in the horse community in Lake County.
Six primary areas of concern were identified: community, competition, noncompetitive events, education, trails and training.
Followup meetings will begin by creating a list of potential facilities and programs needed, addressing any restraints to development and their solutions, creating two or three designs for the park and then selection of a final design.
The final four meetings are scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9; 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 18; 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23; and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6.
All meetings have been scheduled in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall.
Given the current surge in cases of COVID-19, the Sept. 9 meeting will be held outside, across the street in Library Park. Dinner will be provided.
Whether to meet in the City Hall or at Library Park for future meetings is still to be determined.