Countywide : Supervisor Honored in Park Name

Retiring County Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder received a lasting tribute Wednesday: a planned 106-acre regional park was renamed in her honor.

About 100 people turned out for a dedication ceremony at the site, formerly known as Bolsa Chica Linear Park. The park area is located on the southeast edge of the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

The supervisor expressed satisfaction at seeing Harriett M. Wieder Regional Park come to fruition while she is in office.

“This tremendous honor validates all that I’ve done and the commitment I’ve had to the development of a park in the 2nd District,” she said. “I have fought for this park for 16 years.”

Wieder retires from the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 3. Huntington Beach Councilman Jim Silva was elected to Wieder’s seat last week.

Wieder called the park “another jewel in the necklace of the county’s park system.”

“What is significant is that there is no regional park in this part of the county,” she said.

Wieder is a former Huntington Beach mayor. Under Wieder’s leadership, in 1976, the city donated part of its land to the county for park use. In exchange, the county agreed to be responsible for the park’s planning, development, maintenance and operation.

“In generations to come, they will say ‘Who is Harriett Wieder?’ And I hope they will know it was someone who cared enough to plan this park,” Wieder said.

The county is developing a habitat restoration plan for about 19 acres of the park, which includes restoring native grasslands and coastal sage scrub.

Planting will begin on 3.3 acres of the park next fall. The park is scheduled to open in the spring of 1996.