LAKEPORT, Calif. – The road that leads through Westside Community Park in Lakeport starts out as pavement, then turns to gravel and, finally, becomes a dirt path that winds around the property and leads to what once was an orchard.

Its this 4.5-acre area that the Westside Community Park Committee – the nonprofit organization that is developing the park, which is owned by the city of Lakeport – hopes to use for a top-of-the-line public equestrian facility.

On Saturday morning about two dozen community members – the majority of them horse enthusiasts – followed Westside Park Road back to the site, where an informal meeting to field community suggestions took place.

Westside Community Park Committee Chairman Dennis Rollins – accompanied by several members of a subcommittee working on the proposal – gave a 15-minute overview of the process and invited those who attended to write down their suggestions.

In August 2014, Rollins and the committee received the Lakeport City Council's unanimous approval to begin the process of developing the equestrian area, as Lake County News has reported.

With more horse enthusiasts reported to be relocating to Lake County thanks to its affordable property prices and great riding areas, the public arena is believed to be an opportunity for holding events that will draw not just locals but others from around the region and the state.

Besides suggestions and community support, the committee will need money to pay for the project, which will require an extension of the park's paved road and water, according to Rollins.

“Access is expensive,” Rollins noted.

As Rollins explained Saturday, just what the project will look like hasn't yet been determined, which is the reason for the community outreach.

The proposals so far for the facility have included a large arena and round pen, plus horse camping sites, parking for horse trailers and rigs, an obstacle training course and a trailhead leading to a nearby Bureau of Land Management area.

The goal, he said, is to have a facility that will fit the needs and wants of local equestrians.

“We want it to be something that the horse community will utilize,” he said.

In order to fund the project, Rollins said the park committee will pursue grants and donations, as the committee has some money but not a lot, and not enough to fund the project.

They're also seeking an engineer and a surveyor who would be willing to donate time to the project, Rollins said.

Along with Rollins, subcommittee members including Chair Carol Thorn and Jaxan Christensen were on hand to answer questions from community members and walk the property.

In a followup interview, Rollins told Lake County News that he was very pleased with the Saturday meeting turnout, which he said represented a variety of equestrian disciplines.

The two most common comments or concerns that were raised were that there be adequate pull-through parking and that the arena be able to accommodate a variety of disciplines. Rollins said participants also indicated that size of the area and the type of footing are the factors to keep in mind to accomplish that goal.

Other suggestions offered to the subcommittee Saturday include a warm up arena/pen, a trail course, separate gates for horses and people, chutes, bathing area for horses, announcers stand, concession stand and camping sites with hookups, Rollins said.

He said he hoped that those who attended will share the committee's vision with their respective groups.

“Perhaps it will generate invitations for our subcommittee members to attend those organizations' meetings to continue spreading the word and hear from potentials users,” he said.

Visit the Westside Community Park Committee's Web site at http://www.westsidecommunitypark.org/ for more information about the project and the park.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.