The public weighed in on a list of 15 names for the Great Highway over the past two weeks and chose the top five contenders: Playland Parkway, Sunset Dunes, Great Parkway, Fog Line and Plover Parkway, the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department general manager Phil Ginsburg confirmed on Saturday.
In its first call for submissions, the Rec and Parks received some 4,200 suggestions. But some of the most popular names then, including Ocean Beach Park, were not on the short list of 15 names.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported on the top five names.
“Part of our methodology was to remove names that refer to existing parks and places,” said Tamara Aparton, a spokesperson for the Rec and Parks Department, on March 26. “Ocean Beach was among them. Even though it’s just next door to the park, Ocean Beach is a separate property under National Park Service jurisdiction.”
The department also removed names including the word “promenade,” due to the established JFK Promenade, as well as names that mentioned Land’s End, Lincoln, Sunset Strip and Sharp Park, the spokesperson said.
The name “Ocean Beach Park” was submitted at least 178 times in the department’s initial survey, and “Snowy Plover Park,” in honor of the tiny shorebirds that skitter along Ocean Beach, got 171 submissions.
Many submissions mentioned Joel Engardio, the District 4 supervisor who spearheaded the ballot measure to close the Great Highway and turn it into an oceanfront park. They included “Engardio’s Folly,” “Engardio’s Boondoggle,” “Engardio’s Waterloo,” and “Traitor Joel’s.”
Next Wednesday, the department will present the names and make recommendations to the Recreation and Parks Commission, which will determine the final name of the park.
The park is slated to open on April 12, with a kickoff event from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. near Noriega Street.
A contest to name a contentious park (that most of its neighborhood residents vehemently opposed) comes almost as a welcome distraction from the life and death issues and events that now swirl over us on an almost daily basis.
Except for the clearly tongue-in-cheek suggestions promoting Joel Engardio’s name, I’m glad that it appears San Franciscans avoided naming the park after a living politician– who are all susceptible to losing their luster with time and exposure, and hallelujah! I’m glad no one suggested naming the park after Karl– the utterly worn-out and unclever name political illiterates and the Hearst Chronicle use for our fog, particularly when they feel a need to apologize it!
Isn’t is curious how this park arrives just as the Muni 5 and 31 that go from downtown to the beach are among the lines most likely to be cut soon? For many of us who will soon need practically an entire day to get away to enjoy the park, whatever name it gets won’t matter much.
(Along with everything else everyday folks could once enjoy that has gone missing (perhaps beginning with Playland), I sorely miss the 76X that could once take us to Rodeo Beach at the Marin Headlands!)
“Part of our methodology was to remove names that refer to existing parks and places”
Admitting Ocean Beach was already a park all along… it will always be Ocean Beach, and the Great Highway.
Long after Engardio is fired and sent back to Michigan via slow speed rail.
Sunset Dunes was one of the names I voted for. When I walked along it, it did have the feeling of that name, with the sand and grit drifting over the path in the wind, feeling the fog and chill that the Sunset is known for, a bit barren and out of the way on foggy days, as if it were still the dunes. I like the references to Playland, Fog Line, and plovers, too.
… said Tamara Aparton, a spokesperson for the Rec and Park Department … “Ocean Beach is a separate property under National Park Service jurisdiction.”
Exactly. Spoken like a true bureaucrat. Oh Ms. Aparton, where were you when the new approach to the Golden Gate Bridge was christened Presidio Parkway, which couldn’t possibly be confused with Park Presidio.
I think you’re confusing that with Presidio Ave.
But seriously, you wouldn’t believe how many tourists on the 38 get off at Presidio Ave thinking they’ll transfer to the 28 on Park Presidio because someone just told them the stop name. Why the stop isn’t called Masonic escapes me.. but then they also call the IB 38 stop at Webster “Fillmore”
Presidio Parkway vs Park Presidio is what Daniel referenced and that’s obviously way more confusing than Presidio Blvd vs Park Presidio… I think Daniel knew what Daniel was referencing.
Sometimes I need that reminder that sarcasm is too often lost in text. I was quoting the third street name and though it could be an honest mistake.
But as to which results in the most confusion is pretty contextual. A motorists with GPS being forced onto Presidio Parkway is perhaps less so than throngs of tourists following directions that may or may not be live updated with GPS. Regardless, the Presidio and Muni could’ve been smarter here for all our sakes.
Next we can talk about how many people confuse 19th Ave with Park Presidio..
Playland Parkway. ……best name
Many of us (well oldsters) related to that and what a great Playland it was. Maybe someday it’ll be again . Course we’ll miss the laughing lady , the huge record spin , the mirrored rooms , the walk thru gate air blows and the huge turning tunnels you couldn’t stay upright in .. OOOOooo those memory’s
“Part of our methodology was to remove names that refer to existing parks and places”
That means Park and Rec decided for you, because Phil Ginsburg runs the city according to Phil Ginsburg and whoever takes Phil Ginsburg out to dinner the most.
Shrinkage Park.
Paved Waves.
“Part of our methodology was to remove names that refer to existing parks and places”
Tacitly admitting Ocean Beach was already a park all along…
How about Boaty McBoatface Park?