Friends of Bear Creek Stables

12/19/2024

And it’s a wrap - after hundreds of volunteer hours on the Ad Hoc Committee Working Groups, it’s time to relax and enjoy an afternoon at Bear Creek Stables.These are the members of the community that shared their experience in areas identified by the MidPen Board, including stables operation, programming, and maintenance; architecture, landscape architecture, and engineering; equine community programming; and fundraising to explore and develop potential additional options for the long term operations of Bear Creek Stables. A huge shout out to the volunteers, Board of Directors and MidPen staff for their collaboration and diligence over these past months to articulate a way forward to honor the history of horses at Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve.

11/27/2024

Bear Creek Stables will stay open! At the November 20, 2024 MidPen Board meeting, the Board of Directors voted in favor of having a non-profit manage the stables and develop public programming as presented by the Ad Hoc Committee Option. A phased approach for the development of new public programming and the expansion of boarding operations is planned. Site renovations will utilize an alternate site plan option as modified by staff. This will be a big investment by Midpen and a win for expanding public programs on the Preserve. Friends of Bear Creek Stables may become the non-profit management and would work to develop partnerships with Bay Area groups to provide low cost and free horse interactions programs.

To find out more, visit www.friendsofbearcreekstables.org. Click on this link to learn more about the horse/human interactions we envision.
https://youtu.be/XAzuaUJjZr4?si=GaUptyAzPrFfPae7

11/18/2024

Please attend this important meeting on Wednesday, November 20th 6pm at the District Offices, 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, in person, or via Zoom. Add your voice to help save the historic Bear Creek Stables, expanded public programs for all, and opportunities to interact with horses in the Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preseve.
There will be a Mane & Tailgating meet up at 5pm at the District parking lot-come to meet volunteers from the Ad Hoc Working Group committee that have worked tirelessly, contributing their expertise in site design, operations and public programming, fundraising and partnerships, to reimagine Bear Creek Stables. Supporter tshirts will be available $25 donation.

11/11/2024

The next Bear Creek Stables Ad Hoc Committee Meeting is Thursday, November 14/24 at 1pm at the MROSD Office at 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person - this session will not be broadcast via Zoom.

11/02/2024

SAVE THE THE DATE - Wednesday, November 20th 6pm at the District Offices, 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, in person, or via Zoom, the link to join the meeting online, agenda and information packet will be posted closer to the date. Add your voice to help save the historic Bear Creek Stables, expanded public programs for all, opportunities to interact with horses in the Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preseve.

09/02/2024

SAVE THE DATES - there are two upcoming public meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee-Bear Creek Stables Working Groups - September 12/24 and September 26/24 at 6pm. Attend in person at the District Administration Offices at 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA or via Zoom.

On May 14, 2024, the Mid Peninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) Board of Directors and Midpen project staff held a public meeting with updates on the Bear Creek Stables Capital Maintenance and Repair Project and escalating project costs. The alternatives presented ranged from reducing the scope of improvements, the availability of horse boarding and/or public programs, through to closing the Stables. The outcome that evening was the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee headed by Midpen Directors Holman, Riffle and Gleason, and in the following weeks, three Working Groups were formed to address key issues.

The Working Groups are comprised of members of the public, volunteering their time and expertise in the areas of Operations and Programming, Funding and Partnerships and Site Design, Architecture and Engineering. The Working Groups have been meeting 1-2 times per week since late June. They present updates at the Ad Hoc Committee Board Meetings - these are public meetings at the Midpen District offices in Palo Alto, or via Zoom or telephone, the meeting schedule can be found at
https://www.openspace.org/get-involved/public-meetings

06/10/2024

The first session of the Bear Creek Stables Ad Hoc Committee Meeting is Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 6:30pm. Please join this meeting in person at the District office, 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos OR via Zoom, to find out more about participating in the proposed working groups and potential options for Bear Creek Stables.

This Ad Hoc Committee meeting will be held both in-person at 5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA and via Zoom. Instructions on how to attend and comment are available in the meeting agenda. 

05/12/2024

MROSD Board of Directors and staff will update the options for the future of Bear Creek Stables operations at the Tuesday, May 14, 2024 Board meeting, 5pm. For more information, visit openspace.org/BCS and read the staff report linked below.

Staff contact: Jason Lin, Engineering & Construction Manager, [email protected] and Brandon Stewart, Land & Facilities Manager, [email protected], or 650-691-1200