2 weeks Ago By Tony Ng
San Francisco's newest green space along the Great Highway is searching for a name, and the city's residents have not shied away from making their opinions known. The naming contest, which gathered a hefty sum of 4,263 submissions, is now pushing through a whirlwind of passionate, comical, and occasionally biting name suggestions. According to SF Chronicle, suggestions ranged from the environmentally conscious "Ocean Beach Park" and "Snowy Plover Park" to the controversial "Traitor Joel’s Park" and "Engardio’s Folly," with the latter names hitting out at District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio.
Engardio, whose endorsement of Proposition K, the initiative behind the closing of the portion of the Great Highway, has made him a villain for some, with Mission Local reporting on the sheer volume of names lobbed at him. It's a colorful mix of recognition and retaliation, from the roughly 110 commendatory mentions like "Joel Engardio Park" to the 40 critical "Recall Joel Engardio Park." One proposal directly stated, "Why not name it after the person who made it happen?" while others, more negatively, conjured names like “Engardio's Boondoggle” and "The War on Cars Victory Park.
"Meanwhile, playful submissions have managed to poke their head above the fray. Not far behind in votes was "Parky McParkface," which garnered enough support to be noticeable among its more traditional and serious competitors. Tamara Barak Aparton, spokesperson for San Francisco Recreation and Parks, reflected on this diversity of submissions, telling SF Chronicle, "The creativity has been off the charts, with so many meaningful and fun ideas that truly reflect the love for this beautiful spot.
"Some residents sought to honor the land's original inhabitants, proposing names such as "Ohlone Park" and "Yelamu Park" to recognize the Ramaytush Ohlone people. On the other hand, some submissions leaned into the history of the nearby neighborhoods with names like "Sunset Dunes Park" and embraced the legacy of Playland at the Beach through suggestions like "Playland Park". Residents will have until April 2 to weigh in on the names before a final decision is made, per Mission Local.
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