YORBA LINDA : Horse Arena Will Receive Second Look

Responding to citizen complaints about a decision to drop a new horse arena from renovations at Arroyo Park, the City Council voted this week to revisit the issue.

At a June council meeting, Councilman Mark Schwing had made a motion to transfer some money from a $610,000 fund slated for park renovations. But because of a procedural glitch, the only transfer authorized was one removing the money designated for the equestrian arena.

Councilman Gene Wisner requested at Wednesday’s council meeting that the motion be clarified and that $35,000 for the horse ring be reinstated.

The council wants to spend $30,000 of the Arroyo Park allocation for a picnic shelter at Brush Canyon Park and to transfer $100,000 to the Parks and Recreation Department’s miscellaneous fund.

Schwing said he would be willing to reconsider the horse arena if Orange County comes through with $400,000 in parks funding it had promised the city. Of that, $90,000 was slated for Arroyo Park.

But the council, which will take up the issue again at its Aug. 1 meeting, needs to consider whether the city, which already has two equestrian centers, really needs another, Schwing said.