URGENT: Rohr Park Equestrian Arena IN DANGER OF BEING REPLACED BY SPORTS FIELDS. WE NEED YOU TO SEND EMAILS!!!
- Guest
- 15 hours ago
- 5 min read
HELLO EQUESTRIANS (Please share with others)
URGENT ISSUE HERE. Chula Vista now owns Rohr Park in the center of Bonita. They are redesigning it. Frank Carson, Director of Chula Vista Parks, presented a Master Plan Draft that removed the riding arena from the park with no replacement arena offered. This arena is the ONLY large public access horse arena in South Bay. THIS HISTORIC ARENA IS NEEDED for many reasons. IT IS A REGIONAL ASSET.
Last week Chula Vista Parks & Rec. Commissioners met to hear Frank Carson present the Master Plan Draft. Many equestrians came and spoke of the need to keep the arena.
The Commissioners listened intently to the equestrians and viewed Frank Carson’s Master Plan Draft that includes NO ARENA. Commissioners started a motion in favor of putting the horse arena back into the Master Plan Draft. Frank Carson blocked the Chair, Martin Calvo, from recommending that to the City Council on a technicality that the Agenda was for Information, not Recommendation. We MUST SPEAK UP/WRITE to the Chula Vista City Council and Mayor NOW to make our voices heard!
Many good points were made by horse folk in the video of the meeting. Some are listed here.
Decide why YOU want the Arena put back in the Master Plan Draft and Write an EMAIL to the Mayor of Chula Vista. If you can, please copy to City Council members and to Paloma Aguirre staff member Marianne Delatorre.
Say you want the Rohr Park Master Plan to INCLUDE the horse arena. Try to use your own words, but here are some general reasons you might mention:
REGIONAL ASSET: Rohr Park equestrian arena meets a REGIONAL NEED. It is a REGIONAL ASSET. It is a REGIONAL GEM that Chula Vista can boast about!
SAFETY: This arena is the ONLY large animal evacuation site and emergency staging area for a very large surrounding community. Del Mar is not practical alternative due to distance and not always open in emergencies.
SENIOR EQUITY Many equestrians are retired and can finally indulge their lifelong passion for horses because they have the time to do so. An arena is needed by these folks.
GENDER EQUITY Majority of individuals owning and riding horses are women and girls.
PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT AND ENJOYMENT: Children and adults visiting the park are delighted and enthusiastic to see horses and be allowed to safely pet them. Kids eagerly hang around asking to pet a horse and their parents are delighted that they can safely do so. Many people enjoy watching a horse show even if they are not equestrians themselves.
EDUCATION Rohr Park horse arena is ideal for teaching horsemanship and for the training of horses from a surrounding community of backyard horse owners who have no other public access arena.
THERAPY It is well documented that horse therapy is beneficial for both physically handicapped folk and for those suffering emotional trauma, often Veterans and First Responders.
MULTI-USE TRAIL SAFETY EDUCATION Safety clinics for bikers, hikers and equestrians - Bonita Valley Horsemen and others conduct these clinics and need a public arena for it.
AFFORDABILITY: The arena is already built and functional. It is low cost maintenance. In the past, horse groups have donated time and money and made repairs and paid to build what is needed. Very little City money need be spent on this. Grants and volunteers are available for work needed.
COMMUNITY FINANCES: Equestrians support feed stores, tack stores, farriers, vets, local restaurants (see riders on horses lined up at a local restaurant for tri tip sandwiches).
SPANISH CULTURAL HERITAGE: South Bay is home to many Escaramuza groups: these young girls, beautifully costumed, ride sidesaddle in a drill team at speed. There is also a sizable number of Charros practicing their arts of horsemanship in the area. Both groups need an arena for public events.
WESTERN CULTURAL HERITAGE: The horse moved American settlers West. Cowboy arts are still practiced and celebrated in shows. They need this arena.
LOCAL HISTORY: This arena has existed for 6 decades and no replacement is being offered if it is removed. That is probably illegal due to the terms of the deed granting Rohr park to the public forever.
PROFESSIONAL and AMATEUR SHOWS: This is the only public arena in South Bay available to rent for horse shows
TRAIL ACCESS: Adjacent parking lot accommodates pull-through trailer parking and access to Bonita’s amazing multi-use trail system, another regional asset managed by the County of San Diego.
FUND RAISING and PUBLIC FUN: An example: Bonita Valley Horsemen’s (non-profit) fundraising “Kiss a Pony” booth on Valentine’s Day is a HUGE draw for residents of CV and Rohr Park attendees.
INDIVIDUAL SPORT: Much horseback riding is done by individuals as are sports like kayaking, archery, sailboarding, fishing, etc.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER: People LOVE the rural charm of this Chula Vista area. CV residents visit Rohr Park to enjoy the relaxing natural environment. Horses being present enhances the charm and unique character of the Park. As Winston Churchill said: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."
REGIONAL NEED: This arena serves all of South Bay, not just Bonita. Many Chula Vista residents go to Bonita to board, ride, and just enjoy watching horses. This is the public arena where they can gather to see these magnificent animals perform, to pet them, to just “be” in touch with nature.
WRITE to Chula Vista MAYOR McCANN:
COPY to Mayor McCann’s Chief of Staff, John Hoy:
COPY to Frank Carson, Director of Parks and Recreation
If you can, please also email to CHULA VISTA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Chula Vista is in District 1 of San Diego County. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre has assigned her Senior Community Representative, Marianne Delatorre to this issue. WRITE HER!
If you know Supervisor Aguirre personally, PLEASE make an appointment to speak to her (619) 531-5511 or ask for appointment by emailing:
If you know Mayor McCann or any of the Chula Vista City Council members personally, PLEASE call them and speak to them.
PLEASE plan to come to CV City Council meetings (another email about this specifically will follow)
CV City Council meets the first 4 Tuesdays of the month at 5 pm at Chula Vista City Hall, 276 4th Ave. First 7 people to sign in can speak at start of council meeting even if item is not on Agenda and then leave so your time there is not long. We MUST alert the City Council that there are many, many people in Chula Vista and elsewhere that NEED this arena.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HISTORY ON THIS ISSUE AND TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING, check out this site:
You can email Susan Heavilin, editor of Sunnyside Common Sense at:
By Mary Johnson Powell, TRVEA President | December 15, 2025 | Tijuana River Valley Equestrian Association
