YORBA LINDA : Council Reconsiders Arroyo Park Arena

Equestrians may get a new riding ring at Arroyo Park after all, if the City Council reinstates plans that had been scratched in June. The council last week decided to reconsider the arena after cost estimates were lower than expected.

“Residents are owed the arena because they had been promised that, the council had approved it, and if the amount is only $35,000, we can afford that,” said Councilman Mark Schwing, who had proposed eliminating the ring from park improvement plans.

Some residents complained at a meeting later in June that they had waited years for the ring and that horse populations in the neighborhood near Arroyo Park were declining because of the lack of adequate equestrian facilities.

Councilman John M. Gullixson responded then that the city already has two riding rings and probably doesn’t need a third.

Schwing said he had opposed the riding ring then because he believed it would cost several hundred thousand dollars of the $610,000 allocated to the park.

“I think everybody thought the arena was very expensive,” he said.

He had proposed taking some money allocated for Arroyo Park to build a picnic shelter at another site, Brush Canyon Park, and putting some back in the general park fund. However, last week he said the council could still set aside those funds and build the arena.