Owned by the Newport Mesa Unified School District, Balearic is named after the street on which it is located. Many streets in the area are named after islands, including Balearic which is an island chain off the coast of Spain. The Balearic Community Center building located on the site was originally Balearic School.  Since 1975 the City has leased the property from NMUSD.

Arthur R. McKenzie (1918-1988), Costa Mesa’s first Chief of Police, was raised in Los Angeles, attended their public schools, and attended Los Angeles City College before joining the Los Angeles Police Department.  In 1951 he contracted polio and was retired from the LA Police Department.  He continued his education, and while doing so, began recovering from polio.  

In 1953 he was hired by George Coffey, the City Manager of Costa Mesa, and became the first policeman and the first Chief of Police of the city.  Within two months, he had hired three policemen and commanded the department as the city and the department grew.  In 1963, he became Director of Public Safety – Assistant City Manager, and in 1965, City Manager, a post he held until 1970.  Beginning in 1963 when he was in charge of both the Police and Fire departments, he was affectionately called “Super Chief” by his employees.  Because of the high standards he expected of those he worked with, the Police Department was known as one of the outstanding departments in the nation. 

McKenzie was active in numerous civic and charitable groups, including the March of Dimes, Elks, Amigos Viejos, Shrine, Lions Club, and various police associations.  He served as chairman of the Youth Services Program.  

Opened in 1969 and was named for Charles “Chuck” Heller, Costa Mesa’s first Superintendent of Streets (Public Works Director).  Costa Mesa originally secured the land as a maintenance yard at no charge in an inter-agency land swap with the (then) Costa Mesa County Water District.  Heller himself forwarded the concept of the land becoming a city park.