RICH LAKE - With a horse-riding class taking place behind them in the recently-opened Rich Lake Community Complex Riding Arena, Rob Lawson and Briget Vezeau took the reins to give an update on the progress of the long-running community project.
Last Sunday, the president and vice-president of the Rich Lake Recreation and Agricultural Society, Lawson and Vezeau were standing in inside the 20,000 square foot arena that has been a community construction project for the last seven years.
The arena is a big part of the overall Rich Lake Community Complex that houses a small community centre, a large events hall, a mezzanine conference room, washrooms and showers. While much of the complex has been built with municipal funding, the riding arena is solely a community project.
"Everything you see in here has been funded by the community," said Lawson, standing in the centre of the dirt-filled indoor arena as three women and their horses practiced barrel-racing techniques behind them. "We've had people working casinos, making donations and supporting the arena any way they can. Now we have more than just a shell, we have heat, we have lights, we have ventilation... we have all this."
It has been long-time coming, says Vezeau, explaining that the planning for the new complex did meet some early opposition — but constant support helped to bring the project along. Any early nay-sayers , she joked, have been replaced by the actual 'neigh-sayers' like the ones galloping around the large arena behind her.
Since it officially opened at the start of April, there have been 20 members sign up to use the riding arena.
"That's pretty good for just 16 days," said Vezeau. "People have been waiting to have this happen here."
She says the recreation society plans to have the arena as a multi-use facility, possibly hosting archery shoots and Spartan-type obstacle challenges as well as riding events like gymkhanas, team-roping and barrel racing.
Construction work is still on-going around the complex, with upwards of $300,000 still needed to finish the event hall and washroom areas.
Lawson says he has been encouraged by the support of the municipality as well as the local community.
"We appreciate everything the County has done because they have helped us a lot to where we have got with the halls," he said, again giving the community full credit for the riding arena he was standing in, "but we want to point out that this is community-funded."
The construction work still left to complete inside the complex is part of ongoing financial planning for the municipality and the association.
The society members continue to fundraise for more additions to the arena and hope that when COVID-19 restrictions ease, they can begin hosting large events that will increase the awareness to the community when it comes to riding events.
"What we have built here will bring attention to the whole complex," said Lawson, adding that the community hall is also ready to draw local groups looking to schedule times. The Rich Lake Seniors' Club and the local moms & tots group have already expressed an interest for regular meeting times.
Book a ride
The outdoor riding arena at the Rich Lake Community Complex is available on a drop-in basis. The new indoor arena needs to be booked in advance. Online bookings can be made at www.richlakeagsociety.com
