Highlands Development Park Naming Recommendation: Las Abejas Park The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed community input into selecting a name for the planned park in the Highlands Development. Thirty-eight responses were received with multiple suggestions for the park name.
The commission ruled out individual’s names per the city’s naming guidelines for parks. Then the commission evaluated the responses for names which might reflect geographic or cultural aspects of the area.
While it has been our recent tradition to submit up to three names for consideration by the Council, there were very few suggestions which stood out and the Commission settled on a single recommendation for the park name. The one recommendation which stood out was Abeja Park as submitted by Dorian Deptuch:
“Due to the removal of the small but serene Abeja Pond, the park should be named “Abeja Park” in recognition of the beauty that the area has to offer. The former hidden pond (Abeja Pond) and surrounding hills (Abeja Loop Trail) brought peace and tranquility to those that enter its boundaries as they have done so for many years. It would be great to commemorate this area by continuing the “Abeja” naming convention.” The Commission found Dorian’s submission and rationale compelling and within the park naming guidelines. The loss of the pond and the trail was a further persuasive reason for preserving the name “Abeja”, the Spanish word for bee.
Local lore has it that the area was known for beekeeping. In fact, according to the University of California, San Diego County is home to over 650 species of native bees. The Natural Reserve System of the University of California notes: “San Diego County is considered a global biodiversity hotspot where researchers have documented more than 600 species of native bees, numerous other pollinating insect species and more plant species than any other county in the United States.” In recognition of the use of the name for local landmarks, the importance of bees to the economy and biodiversity, and the Spanish heritage of San Marcos; the Commission expanded on Dorian’s recommendation and proposes to name the park “Las Abejas Park” which translates to “the bees” park. https://ucanr.edu/sites/PollinatorAttractiveness/Pollinators_in_Southern_California/What_Is_A_Pollinator/ https://ucnrs.org/foreign-bees-monopolize-southern-california-flower-resources/