After nearly 30 years of dreaming, a $15M state-of-the-art equestrian arena opens in Philly’s Fairmount Park
Supporters gathered to cut the ribbon for McCausland Arena, a 44,000-square-foot addition to the Chamounix Equestrian Center at Fairmount Park. Among the attendees were major donor Peter McCausland, chairman and CEO of Airgas, and his daughter, Elizabeth Salata, who encouraged her father to support the Work to Ride program.
McCausland Arena is an expansive indoor equestrian facility that will enable the Chamounix Equestrian Center’s Work to Ride program to operate year-round. This new arena marks a significant milestone for the program, which has been teaching horsemanship to under-resourced youth in Philadelphia for the past 30 years.
A crowd gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating the opening of this state-of-the-art 44,000-square-foot facility. Among those present was Kareem Rosser, a graduate of the Work to Ride program and current member of the U.S. Polo team, who embraced founder Lezlie Hiner during the event. Hiner founded Work to Ride in 1994 and has dedicated nearly three decades to making this arena a reality.
The new McCausland Arena, located within Fairmount Park’s Chamounix Equestrian Center, was built through a combination of $15 million in public and private funding. It is named in honor of the McCausland family, whose Lafayette Hill–based foundation contributed $3 million to the project.
“Our mission is to serve Philadelphia youth using sports and horses,” said Lezlie Hiner. “Before this arena, we were limited because the cold weather kept kids from being outside in December through March. Now, this facility will allow us to expand our programming threefold.”
Hiner described McCausland Arena as one of the largest horse facilities in the tri-state area and one of the premier indoor polo arenas in the country. The arena boasts numerous features uncommon in most indoor riding rings, including a viewing platform with bleachers, additional seating on a second-story mezzanine, and dozens of large louvered windows that can be opened to create an almost open-air environment during pleasant weather or closed off during inclement seasons.
The arena’s huge steel roof trusses allow for a clear span, making the space completely free of internal support structures that could obstruct the view or use of the facility.
Looking ahead, Hiner plans for the arena to be available for rentals beyond equestrian activities. “It’ll be available for anybody who wants to utilize the space. It’s for the community,” she said.
### What Does Work to Ride Do?
The Work to Ride program focuses on serving underserved youth from Philadelphia’s urban areas, teaching them horsemanship and horse care. One of its standout participants is Kareem Rosser, who progressed from the program to become a national polo champion. Rosser is also the executive vice president at Work to Ride and will compete in the upcoming Federation of International Polo Arena World Polo Championship.
Reflecting on the arena’s opening, Rosser shared, “The process was very daunting and long, kept us up at night wondering if this actually would be possible. It’s an emotional day. You saw many of us, including myself, shed a few tears.”
For many, horses evoke deep emotions. Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones, who helped secure approximately half a million dollars in funding for the arena, emphasized the positive impact of Work to Ride. “They got that start here because Lezlie took them to places they had never ever seen before. They came back changed because of it,” he said. “A horse can tell a lot about you when you’re on their back. They can feel your energy. They can help you through emotional exchanges.”
### A Personal Connection
Elizabeth McCausland Salata, vice president of the McCausland Foundation, shared her personal connection to the program. “I was an avid horse rider as a girl. There’s a wild freedom that, to me, only a child can feel when they’re on a horse. It’s something that we lose as our age makes us too careful or too cautious,” she said. “That magic is something Lezlie took and transformed into something more than riding. Work to Ride is a place for opening doors, building confidence, and creating opportunities that shape young people’s lives.”
Even Hiner herself became emotional recalling the early days of her vision to build a state-of-the-art horse arena in Philadelphia. “I would go up to the horse sales to buy hay three times a week because I couldn’t write a check for more than $400,” she said. Pausing to collect herself, she added, “Look at where we are today.”
—
The McCausland Arena is set to host its first public event this weekend: the Philadelphia Arena Polo Championship. This landmark facility is a powerful symbol of community investment and the transformative power of equestrian sports in urban youth development.
—
*Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune today!*
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/after-nearly-30-years-of-dreaming-a-15m-state-of-the-art-equestrian-arena-opens/article_9c9c1cf8-0b4b-4bdc-b268-a7e2e327277b.html
