Bob Magee, an avid fisherman, shows off one of his prize catches. (Photos courtesy of Bob Magee)
One of the oldest cities in Riverside County, Lake Elsinore has a storied history dating back to 1883. Some good, some bad. But as current Mayor Bob Magee puts it, the city is in the midst of a revival that is drawing the attention of people throughout the region.
One of the city’s most recognizable attractions – the lake itself – has undergone a transformation of sorts and is shedding its “Lake Smell You More” image. The days of dangerous algae blooms, dead fish floating on the surface, and a foul smell around the lake are gone.
In addition, the return of some former sports attractions and the addition of others have added to the city’s reputation as an action sports destination. The motocross raceway and sand drags have returned; skydiving and hang gliding remain popular activities; a Grand Prix race that put the city on the motorsports map in the 1970s is coming back; fishing and boating on the improved lake are thriving; and an ice rink will open soon.
It might not be the “Action Sports Capital of the World”, as Magee describes it, but Lake Elsinore has more to offer action sports fans than any other area in Southern California. And there’s Storm minor league baseball, plus an upcoming return of the Summerly Golf Course.
Add to that the fact that a new group of residents are mixing with the old guard through affordable housing and that there is revival of business through the efforts of Economic Development Director Gina Gonzalez. It appears that Lake Elsinore has found a way to preserve and revive the best parts of its long history and put the bad parts in the past.
“You asked about our bad reputation in the past. Look, we earned it. Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, we were corrupt as hell,” said Magee, a 40-year resident, referring to reports of mismanagement by city officials. “Then there was the massive fish kills. Today, we’re past all that.”
Magee remembers all too well those days and the feelings he had about a crossroads his family had reached in evaluating their future in the city.
“My wife and I had a decision to make,” he recalled. “Do we bury our heads in the sand? Do we put up a for sale sign? Or do we do something about it?”
They stayed, they did their part, and so did many others. Mismanagement among city officials – including the creation of a debt in the construction of the Storm’s stadium that plagued the city for years – was overcome by those who believed in Lake Elsinore’s ongoing potential for success as a recreational region with a rich history.
Magee was elected to the city council in 2003. Others, including fellow council members Tim Sheridan, Brian Tisdale, Steve Manos, and Michael Carroll, have worked hard along with city staff to help the city move forward while preserving its history. City Manager Jason Simpson supervises a staff that has outgrown the building on Main Street. A new three-story City Hall will soon open next to the old building, which housed city officials for 93 years.
A clean-up effort boosted by $8 million in federal funding has drastically reduced the presence of algae in the water. The introduction of a chemical called Phoslock helps control phosphorous levels, restoring water quality and promoting better fish life.
“Then we have algaecide that we spread with a boat,” Magee said. “That’s huge. We’re doing that two or three times a year now. So, that’s number two, and the number three is the nanobubbler, which injects 90 percent oxygen directly into the water. You can see the difference.
“So on a typical weekend now, you see a lot more people, jet skis, people swimming in the water. And what I’ve noticed over the last two years is that there’s many more anglers on shore.”
Magee is quite a fisherman himself. In addition to bringing in some of the whoppers out of the lake, he is an active racer of motorcycles and race cars of various kinds. That’s one reason he’s so excited about the return of the Lake Elsinore Grand Prix, which began with a successful motorcycle race through city streets and the surrounding area from 1968-72.
In 1970, with the American Motorcycle Association supporting the growing Grand Prix, Hollywood took notice and filmed the movie “On Any Sunday” in Lake Elsinore. It was released in 1971.
“In 1972, a quarter million people descended on us,” Magee said. “The city fathers said, ‘Time out, we can’t do this’. The next year it was held outside of the city limits and then it just petered away.”
The Grand Prix has been contested in various forms with various types of vehicles on various courses under a number of promoters in the years since, but it never had the same mystique as a motorcycle race through the streets of Old Town. Of course, some of the locals were glad it left their neighborhood. City officials will find out how they feel about its return when it runs again in November (assuming the proper permits are filed and approved).
“So we have found a new promoter,” Magee said. “We have outlined a new course. Some of the historic links are still there, you know. You come through downtown, go up into the hills. Over the years, it’s had different courses. I’m hoping this one works.”
The Grand Prix is just one of so many projects being renovated or developed in Lake Elsinore. And here at Elsinore 24/7, we’ll follow the progress along with you.
