Earl Warren Showgrounds Master Plan Moves Forward Despite Community Pushback
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — The Earl Warren Showgrounds is set for a major transformation after board members unanimously voted Thursday to move forward with a new master plan. But the decision has sparked concern among members of the equestrian community who say they’ve been left out of the conversation.
“We have all given our time on this volunteer board. We have done our research and I think it's now the time to move forward,” one board member said during the meeting.
Despite that optimism, equestrian advocates fear the changes could jeopardize one of the region’s historic safe zones for animals during natural disasters.
Kathy O’Conner, past president of the Equine Evacuation and Assistance Team, said her group was never consulted. “We just want to make sure that our group and the horses and large animals in this community are served. And we were never included in any of those discussions,” she said.
For decades, the Showgrounds has been a designated evacuation center for horses and livestock during wildfires and other emergencies. That legacy, advocates say, is part of Santa Barbara’s identity.
“We want to preserve what's here and build out from there, not destroy what's here. That's part of Santa Barbara's history,” said Ronda Hathaway, president of the Santa Barbara Equine Team.
Hathaway emphasized that animal services and fire department experts should be included in planning. Her group has already invested heavily in improvements. “After we put a million and a half dollars in wondering, you know, what are they going to do, come in and bulldoze this down? That's that's not right for the community,” she said.
She added that they held off on accepting another half-million dollars in donations out of concern the upgrades might not survive the overhaul.
Santa Barbara resident Lisa Sands urged a more gradual approach. “If you want to do a renovation on this beautiful park, do it now in increments, restore it, and include the expansion of your needs,” she said.
The 34-acre master plan envisions a reimagined Showgrounds with three multi-use recreation fields, a fieldhouse with courts and support spaces, a covered fieldhouse for both recreational and equestrian use, and a 6,000-seat tiered arena.
Still, board leaders insist the plan is far from final.
“Nothing has been set in stone and that this essential mission, which is a part of our mission statement, which is resiliency and the ability to house firefighters, to house large animals, to house community members, if that should ever come about. Those are guiding principles that will not be lost,” said Board President Tory Milazzo.
Milazzo said the next step will be forming a master planning committee in the coming months to guide the process.
