Bonita Homeowner's Message to Mayor McCann and His Response

WR This Cats Smart sculpture—created by Mehl Lawson, member of The Cowboy Artists of America—may be found near Bonita Road in front of the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center

Peri Kalar's Letter to Mayor McCann

Hello,

I am a life long resident of Bonita California. My parents selected Bonita in the 60's, to live and raise their family. We lived next to Bradley Stables. We rode our horses through the Jack in the box, the pond and all over Bonita. This arena is so very important to the community of Bonita. When you think of Bonita, it's the horse culture that comes to mind. In fact, we have a lovely new horse statue to commemorate our town. You will notice that we do not have a commemorative statue of a soccer player to represent our community. Nor do we want one!

There are plenty of soccer fields in the Chula Vista/Bonita area. It would be a shame to have more, when the arena is one of its kind.

 Please allow the arena to stay for the Bonita horse community.

Peri Kalar

The Mayor's Response

Good Morning Ms. Kalar,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your input on preserving the equestrian arena in the Rohr Park Master Plan. I truly appreciate your passion for the park and your commitment to preserving what makes our community unique. Rohr Park is one of Chula Vista’s most valued public spaces, and the redesign reflects how residents across the city will use and enjoy it.

As a lifelong resident, I have a deep-rooted connection to the Bonita community and a strong passion for improving Rohr Park. I attended Bonita Vista Middle and Bonita Vista High School, and I have served as a board member for Bonitafest. I have also been a longtime supporter of the Melodrama since the 1980s.

City staff is currently gathering feedback to identify which park amenities the community values most. The master planning process is lengthy, and we are still in its initial phase. The next steps include a review of community input by city staff, followed by consideration from the Parks and Recreation Commission. Finally, the City Council will review the Rohr Park Master Plan for approval or denial. The community will have opportunities for input throughout the entire process.

I want to assure you that, as someone who grew up in this community, I will be carefully reviewing all community feedback. I will also be meeting with individuals and groups to receive their input personally as the planning process moves forward. My goal is to ensure that any future design keeps Rohr Park one of the most valuable recreational assets in South County.

Thank you again for sharing your perspective and for being engaged in this discussion. Community input plays an essential role in shaping how we invest in and improve our parks for generations to come.

Yours in Service,

John McCann

Mayor

Now It's Your Turn

As I have often heard Patty O'Mara say "Mayor McCann is just one vote." Ms. O'Mara is Vice-Chairman of the Sweetwater Community Planning Group.

I believe that Ms. O'Mara is correct. Here are the emails for Mayor McCann and the entire City Council:

Mayor John McCann | jmccann@chulavistaca.gov

Carolina Chavez | District1@chulavistaca.gov

Jose Preciado | jpreciado@chulavistaca.gov

Michael Inzunza | minzunza@chulavistaca.gov

Cesar Fernandez | cfernandez@chulavistaca.gov

You can write five different emails or the same email to all five. Just do it! Can you imagine the impact of every Bonita-Sunnyside resident penning five emails? Together, we can save our Rohr Park Horse Arena.

Peri Kalar | December 11, 2025 | Bonita CA Residents (FaceBook)

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