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Equestrian groups press Chula Vista to restore ROAR Park arena to master plan
Summary
Riders and equestrian organizations told the Chula Vista City Council on Jan. 6 that ROAR Park’s horse arena is a unique regional resource and urged the council to return it to the draft master plan. Council members said the planning process is preliminary and pledged follow‑up.
Riders and representatives of local equestrian groups urged the Chula Vista City Council on Jan. 6 to restore the ROAR Park horse arena to the city’s draft master plan, saying the arena is the South Bay’s only public equestrian facility and an important multigenerational community resource.
Speakers including Janine Reed, president of the Bonita Valley Horse (first speaking as introduced at the dais), and the president of the Tijuana River Valley Equestrian Association described the arena as a “jewel” that supports riding, training and community events. Janine Reed said the equestrian community fears losing a facility that “brought families together” and asked the council to “put it back on the master plan.” The association’s president said the arena supports more than 100 members and about 175 horses and called for clearer public notice if the arena were to be removed.
Mayor McCann and multiple council members responded that the ROAR Park planning process is still preliminary. Deputy Mayor Chavez emphasized that staff have not finalized a master plan update and told speakers the council supports equestrian uses, while cautioning that the formal planning process will take more than a year and include public outreach. Council members repeated that staff will return with formal plans and that the public will have multiple opportunities to provide input before any final decisions.
Several speakers and riders asked for concrete steps: meetings with council members and parks staff, explicit restoration of the arena to the draft master plan and inclusion of equestrian needs during design. City staff and council members said they would brief the council and community again as plan development proceeds.
The council did not take formal action at the Jan. 6 meeting to change the master plan. Instead, members directed that staff continue the planning process and provide further opportunities for public comment. The council scheduled future outreach and said the master plan draft remains subject to revision before any final approval.
