GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/a1d4e113

HELP SAVE LAKEWOOD EQUESTRIAN CENTER!

Lakewood Equestrian Center (LEC) has been serving the public of Lakewood and neighboring communities for approximately 80 years. Thousands of people and horses have found a safe home and community there over the years. It is the ONLY public stable in the greater Lakewood-Long Beach area. It is the ONLY opportunity for local urban youth to learn resilience, confidence, and responsibility from equine education.

THE FUTURE OF LAKEWOOD EQUESTRIAN CENTER IS NOW AT RISK! On Friday, June 21, 2024, the City of Lakewood secretly scheduled a vote in an “adjourned meeting” on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 to CLOSE LEC FOREVER!

The public ONLY learned about this because one boarder came across the agenda. This is contrary to City Staff multiple comments to boarders that the June 25 meeting was simply a “study session”.

In short order, we mobilized to SAVE LEC!! And we NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!

IF YOU OPPOSE THE CLOSURE OF LAKEWOOD EQUESTRIAN CENTER, PLEASE:

1)    Email and call the City Council at CityCouncil@lakewoodcity.org and 562-866-9771

2)    Post on social media that you OPPOSE THE CLOSURE OF LEC

3)    Tell your friends and family to Email and call the City Council at CityCouncil@lakewoodcity.org and 562-866-9771

4)    COME TO THE MEETING ON JUNE 25, 2024 and BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES!

WEINGART BALLROOM

5000 CLARK AVENUE LAKEWOOD, CALIFORNIA 

June 25, 2024: 5:30pm

THERE ARE MANY REASONS NOT TO CLOSE THE STABLE:

• ONLY public stable in the greater Lakewood-Long Beach area that is open to the public
• Displacement of over 100 horses who have been at the center for decades, including many who may not survive being moved at their advanced ages
• The closure of 6 WOMEN OWNED small businesses
• The elimination of equine therapy opportunities for the communities most vulnerable
• The elimination of a safe community of people from all walks of life and backgrounds who find a sanctuary from daily pressures, including many first responders, teachers, nurses, and many others who do not have the means to pays thousands of dollars to keep their horses in Palos Verdes and other wealthier areas
• It is the ONLY opportunity for local urban youth to learn resilience, confidence, and responsibility that comes with equine education, as well as its closure will eliminate opportunities for scouts, troops, campers, field trips, etc.
• The Lakewood Equestrian River Trail is an anchor that connects to the San Gabriel River Emerald Necklace of Trails for equestrians, hikers/walkers/runners, and bicyclists
• The only public “park” that has the potential to pay for itself (when it is not mismanaged)
• And MUCH MORE!

CITY STAFF HAS SUBMITTED AN ONE-SIDED ADVOCACY PIECE THAT OMITS KEY INFORMATION AND MISSTATED “FACTS” IN AN EFFOT TO CONVINCE THE CITY COUNCIL TO CLOSE LEC

• Inflated repair and maintenance costs in order to make it look like the Equestrian Center is “too expensive” -- LEC has been running just fine for approximately 80 years until it lost money due to the City’s mismanagement
• Ignores that none of Lakewood’s other 10 parks make any money. Why is the public Equestrian Center being treated differently by the City?
• Ignores the many members of the public enjoy the facility on a daily basis. The City instead claims that “only” 16 boarders are Lakewood residents. They ignore that camp kids, scouts, lessons, field trips, and visiting public who done log in or out of the center when the visit (just like any other OPEN park)
• Ignores that there is NO WHERE FOR OVER 100 HORSES TO GO!!! All of the nearby stables are full and not accepting new horses
• A proposed alternative that would be Lakewood’s 11th park featuring a skateboard park and pickleball court. The City is really considering displacing over 100 horses, and putting the health and life of many of those horses at risk, for a skateboard park!!!
• No cost estimate to build the alternative park proposed by staff. It will cost the Lakewood taxpayers MILLIONS to remove the equestrian infrastructure, investigate, abate, and possibly litigate any environmental issues, and then build a new “park”
• No analysis of the homeless issue that surrounds the Lakewood Equestrian Center and makes it unsuitable for a public park for seniors and young children with the unhoused camps across the street by the Wal-Mart and along the Riverbed bike path
• The risk of exposing Lakewood to costly and time-consuming litigation for, by example, possible violations of the Brown Act and Sunshine Laws resulting from the City’s attempt to hold a secret vote; possible violations of CEQA; possible violations of land use conditions and public contracting laws; and possible violations of due process, equal protection, and other constitutional violations resulting from City staff’s treatment of the boarders and public