San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob and parks officials held a first-ever “virtual” groundbreaking to mark the start of construction of the long-awaited $16.9 million Lakeside Equestrian Park Wednesday.
Jacob and a few socially-distanced parks officials and horseback riders cheered as a large earth-moving excavator dug its mechanical dipper-bucket into the ground to signal the start of the project that will include a 45,000 square-foot covered arena, an open arena and a multi-purpose building that can be used for community events.
“We’re going to have people come in here to this facility (from) all over the County, and even outside the County,” Jacob said Wednesday, “because there’s nothing like it.”
The equestrian park project has been in the planning stages since 2012. Jacob said it will create jobs and become an economic engine in addition to providing Lakeside, a rural town renowned for its horse community, with a state-of-the-art equestrian and community center.
County parks officials said the equestrian park will be the first in the County Parks system. The project is expected to be ready to open in early 2022.
The Lakeside Equestrian Park will be located on a 13.88 acre site at the northeast corner of Moreno Avenue and Willow Road in Lakeside.
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The covered arena will include an announcer’s booth, PA system, stockpens, bucking chutes, header and heeler chutes, an electronic scoreboard with timing eye and bleacher seating.
The Equestrian Park will also feature ADA access throughout, restrooms, a public day-use staging area with a shade pavilion, picnic tables, overnight RV parking with utility hookups and livestock and horse corrals.
