It takes a village to keep up the Pico

Today, the Pico Promenade is a level walking path bordered by trees and plants, running from Elder Street to the north down to Fallbrook Street at its south end. But it did not start out that way.

According to Jackie Heyneman, “Prior to 1996, the Pico was just a swale for water runoff from the northern part of Fallbrook; there was no path, no trees on either side of the waterway and it was much shallower than today, overgrown with grass only. Two times a year it was mowed and that service was paid for by a local bank.”

Since then, many community groups, businesses and organizations have played...