The Fort Armstrong Horsemen’s Association will continue to control the Crooked Creek Horse Park after Manor Township supervisors extended their lease through 2050.
MANOR - Following a request from the Fort Armstrong Horsemen’s Association, Manor Township supervisors have extended their lease of the 97-acre Crooked Creek Horse Park through the year 2050.
Supervisor Chair Paul Rearick complemented the Association for their development of the Horse Park over the years.
“They have been the only thing there in my recollection and it’s been nothing but good,” he said.
The property was originally deeded to the Township by the Army Corps of Engineers that operate Crooked Creek Park. Manor then leased it to the Association for a recreational facility.
Currently in addition to a camping area, the Horse Park has a large outside stadium that has been used for shows and an annual rodeo. The Association asked for the lease extension so they could procure a 30-year bank loan to build a large indoor arena where shows could be held year-round. The arena will cost approximately $600,000 to erect. The Association utilizes approximately twenty of the 97-acres that is leased, according to Rearick.
“A lot of people when they think of the Horse Park, all they think about is the rodeo. They have events there just about every weekend. If you are on (Route) 66 anywhere on Friday or Sunday, you will see horse trailers - big expensive living quarters horse trailers. Just about every weekend, they are doing something out there.”
Supervisor Bob Southworth echoed similar thoughts as Rearick.
“The only thing you have to pay to get into, is the big rodeo in July. You can go out there any weekend and watch kids ride their horses and have dinner for $6. I only live two miles away from it, and I did not know you could do that until last year.”
Rearick said that since the Horse Park is located in the Crooked Creek Park area, is must be open for public recreational use.
“That is part of our lease agreement, that it remains open and available to our residents to go out there if they want to go out there and have a little picnic or something.”
In addition to extending the lease, the supervisors also had advertised for a township resident to serve on the Association board. The only person who applied was Andrea Southworth, wife of Supervisor Southworth, who abstained from voting. Her appointment was approved by the other two supervisors, Rearick and Don Palmer.
