The Barrington Countryside Park District distributed an email today announcing their decision for a name change as well as notifications of upcoming events at the Riding Center. A copy of their email update (84 KB) can be downloaded here.
Park District announces new name, upcoming events
July 7, 2012 by Barrington Hills Observer
Posted in Barrington Hills Park District, FRVPC, Riding Club of Barrington Hills | 19 Comments
19 Responses
Leave a Reply to Monty WardCancel reply
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I think the new name for the park district should be the Robert Abboud memorial riding center. He has done more for the horse people than all the former presidents together.
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died)
Phil B., you are correct with your comments about President Abboud’s special interest favoritism of the Riding Club community. However, the worst part of these actions, some of which are of questionable legal and ethical nature, is that is serves to polarize Barrington Hills.
Most if not all of the non-equestrian residents believe that our community is enhanced by equestrian presence and support keeping our community friendly to horse lovers and to keep the unique trails system in place. Creating an environment friendly to those who choose to keep and ride horses is beneficial to Barrington Hills. The Riding Club is a treasure in our community.
However, Barrington Hills is an open spaces community with residential, equestrian, agriculture and wildlife (forest preserve) interests operated in beautiful balance. The Abboud administration and puppet Trustee Board is changing the balanced nature of our community to favor special interests. This is most evident by uneven enforcement and the proposal to provide unchecked growth of commercialism in our Village with the proposed Home Occupation Amendment. The Amendment was written by the Equestrian Commission with no input from a non-existent “Residential Commission.”
This town should not cave to polarization of our community, but instead we should rally together to ensure that our officials protect our open spaces and residential / equestrian / agriculture and wildlife heritage.
I think that it would have been polite, democratic and wise had this taxing entity inform the taxpayer BEFORE changing the name. Without the money from the pockets of ALL the BH residents, the stalls and barn would fall in disrepair. This is how the village came to own this real estate. The Riding Club of Barrington were not wise stewards of the land. The new board forgets that they serve the residents, not themselves.
It was discussed at a park board meeting, which is open to everyone; voted on, and changed, in a very democratic process.
Who cares what it’s called so long as it doesn’t include “Park District” in the name. Barrington Hills doesn’t have a park district. We have a generally underutilized Riding Center held in reserve for special events for the Riding Clubs. That’s all it is and 100% of residents pay for this specialized facility used by less than 10% of residents occasionally throughout the year.
Joanne, you have it right! Almost all the commissioners have their own agenda for the pony club or riding club. The taxpayers who support the Park District are the last to be considered. 75% or more of both these clubs are not even residents in the park district. It is a shame these people got voted in by the riding club tactics!
Thanks for the affirmation of what is reality Fed Up. Fact is the Riding Center was “donated” to a then nonexistent Village “Park District” back in the 1960’s because the owners at that time (Private Riding Clubs) were behind in property taxes that they couldn’t or refused to pay so they unloaded it on the Village.
Seems to me with the narrow focused use of the acreage we should donate it back to those who use it occasionally. After all, wouldn’t that be fair to the majority of residents who rarely even visit let alone utilize this property?
You’ve got the right idea here Just an average Joanne. The only other piece of property that the Barrington “Countryside” Park District owns are the tennis courts at Countryside School. I am sure that CUSD 220 would be willing to acquire these. In fact, I believe they maintain them because the tennis teams use them. Donating the Riding Arena back to those that actually use it sounds reasonable. One less taxing entity on my tax bill.
Jane……..You just don’t get it, do you? Get on your horse and go for a ride…
Jane:
Where might one see an agenda in advance of the meetings or a copy of the approved minutes or anything for that matter concerning the Park District. The web site doesn’t seem to be working or when it did I don’t remember it being up to date.
A pattern emerges. Jane, curious to learn the answer to Whoa’s question. The Village’s web site did not provide easy to find information on the Commercial Boarding changes in the Home Occupation Act. One had to work to find the information or regularly look at agendas to seek out information. Then again, recent letters to some residents from the Village President claimed:
“there is no effort by the Village, or private residents to alter any of the zoning of the Village for a “commercial” boarding facility. A zoning change of this type has never been proposed in my 11 year tenure on the Village Board, nor am I aware of one proposed in our history.”
Anyone attending the ZBA public hearing (that also provided little meaningful notice) can assume that the Home Occupation Amendment as proposed would significantly expand commercial boarding in the Village. Why the Deception?
@Monty Ward – I don’t believe the Park District owns the land at Countryside where the courts and baseball diamond are.
Can you imagine Barrington Park District not charging an in-district and out-of-district user fee for their facilities? Can you imagine South Barrington Park District not charging an in-district and out-of-district user fee for their facilities? Actually, can you imagine any Park District not charging an in-district and out-of-district user fee for facilities? Well, that is exactly what the Barrington Hills Park District does on a daily basis at the Riding Center. Past commissioners tried to have discussions of a user fee, but both the Riding Club and Pony Club were very aggressive, threatening, and vocal in their opposition. If this was to be considered both private Clubs wanted all of their members to be charged as in-district even if they weren’t taxpaying residents to the Barrington Hills Park District. I can’t imagine giving the Riding Center back to the Riding Club. For forty years the taxpayers of Barrington Hills Park District have been the sole financial support of the Riding Center spending hundreds of thousands of dollars (barring the small amount collected in rental fees which the Clubs have kept at nominal rates). The Riding Center is an asset to Barrington Hills, but the users (whether in-district or out-of-district) should be paying a fee even if it does not amount to a large income. The Barrington Hills Park District taxpayers should challenge this Board to take up the issue of in-district and out-of-district user fees. Our Park District collects money from taxpayers and it should be run like a Park District not a private club. Right now 4 out of 5 Commissioners belong to the private Clubs and the taxpayer checkbook is open to whatever the Clubs’ want.
BARRINGTON HILLS PARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS: we, the taxpayers, want a user fee!!
Most of these posts are terrific, but they don’t seem to capture the attitudes of any Riding Club advocates / members. Why? Let’s get some good dialogue on this public forum from both sides.
This issue has been awakened only because of the insane ambiguity of the proposed Home Occupation Amendment that allows unlimited commercial boarding. That’s what exposes some of the non-resident issues that could grow and invade BH if not properly restricted. Certainly, the comments of others on this site open important questions on how the Park District manages their costs and how taxpayers pay for the Riding Club. The Village BOD should give an accounting of the Park District revenue and profit / loss.
Check out Preserve BH site as well to see a recent post on the violation of the open meetings act relative to the Trustees’ decision not to impose fines at Oakwood Farms. Our Village President has some explaining to do.
It’s not an asset, but a lawsuit waiting to happen. Anyone from anywhere can come to this unsupervised facility 24/7 and engage in an “inherently dangerous activity.”
I have seen NO signs on the property requiring riders to wear helmets. The PD’s own website states that they “ask” riders to sign waivers and the helmet policy. Isn’t that nice that they “ask” but don’t require? Swell.
The other aspect of the PD that should be realized is that they do not follow any rules. They don’t post agendas. They don’t post minutes. And, more than a year and a half after the laws mandated official taxing agency’s members use agency designated email addresses the members of the Park Commission all have their personal email addresses as their point of contact.
For the record, I agree with Joanne’s comments. Give it back to the riding clubs. Let them bear the expenses and liabilities. Trust me, you’d see that place turned tight as a drum if that happened.
@Just an average Joanne – Just checked the web site for the Park District. The baseball diamond and tennis courts do belong to the taxpayers of the Village of Barrington Hills. Besides the riding facility, this could be why it has always been called the “Barrington Countryside Park District”. I still think that the school district would be interested in assuming these recreational facilities because they are open to the public without proof of residency. Let the Riding Club of Barrington Hills take back the costly upkeep of the riding facility because they are the only ones that use it. Do they ask for proof of residency for user fees?
Monty,
Please read Barrington Hills Park District Taxpayer post. This park district DOES NOT HAVE USER FEES!! Also Richard, it is the “Riding Center” that the park district pays for, the park district does not pay for the Riding Club.
BHPDT, please further explain your last sentence so we can understand it better – thanks