The 100 Mile House Outriders Club could be just a hoof away from a new covered arena, after presenting their case with the South Cariboo Joint Committee (SCJC) on Jan. 8.
“We just kind of explained our situation with our original submission we made in June,” said former president Michael Kidston. “They listened. They said, “Okay, we’ve heard your case. We think you need to go further and get the equestrian community involved. Go out, get names and get more people involved.”
Vice-president Ron Szigety said that’s what the club has been doing the entire time and the club is frustrated with how they are being treated, especially after the land originally belonged to them after it was donated by Bridge Creek Estates.
“We’re definitely going nowhere. It was suggested that we put a committee together and we’ve put together committees for the past 20 years,” he said. “We’re totally frustrated, it just seems like we’re not part of the picture at all.”
Margo Wagner of the SCJC said she felt sorry the club felt this way but their hands are tied until the $14.5 million expansion to the recreation centre is dealt with and won’t be to look at the Outriders proposal until the referendum, whether they get the go-ahead for the expansion or not, is complete.
“I know they are frustrated because they have lost considerable land through various previous local government decisions to put in the arena, expand the ball fields and a variety of other things,” said Wagner. “We listen to them, we appreciate that they have lost land.”
Wagner also disclosed that they may have land available behind Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School but admitted she isn’t sure if the land is suitable enough for horses. However, the committee and club won’t be able to discuss it until after the recreation centre is dealt with.
The club has been pursuing a new facility for decades.
Prior to the arena being built, the Outriders had permanent stables and a race track. In the original plans for the construction of the arena, a new race track was included but never made it past the drawing board.
Szigety and Wagner both said the Outriders are well represented within the committee, with three members keeping the latter in the loop.
Coming in conjunction with the proposed $14.5 million expansion of the recreation centre focusing on the Stan Halcro Agriplex, the club hopes the committee will approve an indoor covered metal arena for winter use costing roughly $625,000. It would be used for clinics, shows and other events.
“We put it in because it was somewhat tied to the proposed walking track to replace the Stan Halcro Agriplex,” said Kidston.
Only able to operate four to five months a year because of the lack of a covered arena, many people in the Outriders have moved towards Kamloops or elsewhere for a chance of more equestrian activity according to Szigety who estimates there are now around 50 people still in the group.