A quick follow-up on the renaming of the body of water soon to be formerly known as Stow Lake. Here are some of the leading candidates, as reported today in the J:
Mary Ellen Pleasant Lake. For the Gold Rush-era Black businesswoman and abolitionist known as the “Mother of Civil Rights in California.” Pleasant sued a streetcar company after being refused a ride, leading to a state Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation on streetcars was unconstitutional.
Herb Caen Lake. For the legendary San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Caen, who died in 1997, has been honored with Herb Caen Way off the Embarcadero.
Judge Quentin Kopp Lake. Former member of the S.F. Board of Supervisors and California State Senate and a retired Superior Court judge, Kopp already has been honored with a namesake freeway in San Bruno. (Kopp is a member of J.’s board of directors.)
Cissie Swig Lake. A supporter of the arts, Roselyne “Cissie” Swig is a donor and board trustee at institutions, including SFMOMA and the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and a former board president of the Jewish Community Federation.
Patrick Quigley Lake. One of Golden Gate Park’s first employees and a foreman of construction who oversaw the building of much of the park, including Stow Lake.
Ho Feng Shan Lake. Chinese consul general in Vienna from 1938 to 1940 who issued visas to thousands of Jews seeking to escape the Nazis. He later settled in San Francisco.
Joan Davenny Lake. Born in San Francisco, Davenny was killed by a suicide bomb in Jerusalem in 1995. She was a Jewish schoolteacher in Connecticut on sabbatical studying culture and history.
Ramaytush Ohlone Lake. Original peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula.
Strawberry Lake. Strawberry Hill is an island within Stow Lake.
Blue Heron Lake. Blue herons nest on the islands in the lake (one next to the boathouse, the other across from the waterfall). The season runs from January or February until late June-early July when the last chicks fledge.
Turtle Lake. Turtles live in Stow Lake.
Mikveh Lake. Suggested by a J. reader who in the 1960s used the lake as a Jewish ritual bath on the holiday of Shavuot.
According to the J, Supervisor Myrna Melgar — who is leading the charge on the name-change — is still soliciting suggestions. Once they’ve collected more names, they’ll run a poll on people’s preferences. “The supervisor then expects to form a subcommittee of people who have shown a commitment to the process. Using the results of the public poll, the subcommittee will generate a short list to submit to the Recreation and Park Commission, which will either choose a new name or keep the existing one.”
My vote is for Patrick Quigley Lake. While the name is not as "poetic" as Blue Heron, the name represents the spirit of the laborers who built this lake and park. The Herons are lovely but only nesting there two months per year. Whereas Quigley kind of "led the charge" and the fruit of his labor IS the lake! His work/accomplishment should be remembered and finally honored. While there is merit in some of the other choices- I do not see how they are relevant to the renaming of this particular lake and renaming project.
Ask yourselves: "What is this nomination's connection to this lake? In some cases, it even sounds like the "naming" is being bought.
Whereas in the case of Herb Caan, ( we all loved his columns), but he already has a street and I associate him more with the entire City but not with this lake. Honoring someone as the "Mother of Civil Rights in California" is a worthy project and one that should have more than this lake named in her honor.
Again, what is the connection to this particular lake, this park, this area of the City? I totally believe that Patrick Quigley has the strongest positive connection to this lake. It exists because of him!
My vote is Blue Heron Lake! BTW, I believe Jessica is once again pregnant. Not sure what the answer is to how we prevent this yet again.