What’s in a Name? With Parks, That Depends on the City

What to call the new park at Irvine Civic Center was an obvious choice for city officials: Name it after retired Marine Col. William E. Barber, a local hero. But there was a hitch. Irvine’s policy is not to name parks for people.

Barber, now 77, led 220 U.S. soldiers through a frozen mountain pass on a mission during the Korean War, an action credited with saving 8,000 American lives. For his valor, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1952.

Given his status in the community, the City Council last month broke with policy and voted to name the 50-acre park, to be built in about two years, in Barber’s honor.

“They indicated that this would be an exception just for this one time,” said Deanna Manning, community services director. “But certainly a future council or this council could see something they would deem equally important.”

The situation shows that naming a park in Orange County is seldom as simple as picking a well-known person to honor. Law and custom dictate that officials make prudent choices, administrators say, for parks usually outlive those for whom they are named.

To avoid making poor picks, most cities have specific procedures. In some cases, the recreation, community development or parks staff seek suggestions from the public. In others, historical societies, clubs and homeowners have a say.

“Every city’s got its quirks,” said Ron Hagan, community services director for Huntington Beach.

Since the 1940s, Surf City’s custom has been to name its parks after former mayors. Most recently, Huntington Beach’s first woman mayor, Norma Brandel Gibbs, was honored in 1995 on her 70th birthday when the butterfly park on Graham Street was named for her.

“It was like going to your own memorial service,” Brandel Gibbs said of the ceremony. “Most of these parks are dedicated long after you’re gone. You don’t know anything about it. No one thought I would live that long.

“I keep hearing from people, ‘Oh, I went to your park,’ ” said Brandel Gibbs, who served on the council from 1970 to 1978. “But it isn’t my park, it’s everybody’s park.”

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In other cities, local geography, landmarks, plants and trees inspire park names.

Tustin and Cypress have Pepper Tree and Peppertree parks, respectively, and Anaheim has Palm Lane Park. Irvine boasts Peppergrass Park, while Magnolia parks bloom in Garden Grove and Tustin.

Valor is another common inspiration. Cypress, for example, has Veterans Park on Ball Road. Irvine’s choice for its new park follows that tradition.

“It gives an honor to all of those who have served in the military, especially those from my generation, World War II and Korea,” said Barber. “It will encourage people to look at the history.”

In another example of honoring those who serve, Newport Beach is naming its newest park in memory of Bob Henry, a city police officer who was killed in 1995. The park is set to open in late July.

“Bob Henry gave the ultimate sacrifice,” City Manager Kevin J. Murphy said. The park “was named in honor of Bob with the understanding that it would recognize all city employees who have or would, God forbid, give their lives in the line of duty.”

Other names are chosen to commemorate historic events. Costa Mesa’s Suburbia Park last summer was renamed Moon Park--a nickname used by residents for years--because of the complex’s well-known moonscape, an homage to the Apollo astronauts’ 1969 landing on the moon.

Athletes are influential too. The Jesse Flores Sports Complex, a group of three baseball fields at Portola Park on Euclid Street in La Habra, recognizes the former local resident who, in 1942, became the first Mexican American to pitch in the major leagues when he played for the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs.

So-called bark parks in which dogs can run and frolic free of their leashes are increasing in popularity. The parks usually have more conventional proper names, though San Juan Capistrano resident Jack Gottfried last year offered the city $10,000 to name a park in memory of his golden retriever, Honey.

“San Juan Creek Park” was chosen instead--but the dog had her day. Officials agreed to name the park’s playground after Honey.