City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Danehy Park

This project will bring much-needed improvements to Danehy Park, with great positive impact for Cambridge residents. New fitness equipment, signs, dog park lights for evening use, and scoreboards will make Danehy Park better utilized.

Signs: There are uninformative signs at the two main entrances of Danehy Park on New Street and Sherman Street; these could be changed to the one pictured, found between Danehy and St. Peter's field, which would give the placement of fields within the park, so people who first come to this large park can find their way and those who use it might know more of what is available, and where.

Dog Park Lights: The winter months provide very limited daylight for dog owners to exercise their dogs. When people leave work at the end of the day, it is usually already dark, which makes Danehy Dog Park not safe to use.  Adding lights will allow dog owners to use the park for the same hours that the fields at Danehy are used (no later than 10pm).

Scoreboards: Athletes of all ages use the fields at Danehy Park, but there are no scoreboards to help players and spectators keep track of the game.  Current technology makes scoreboards easy to operate and makes the game more enjoyable to all - players young and old have a sense of playing a "real" game and fans can follow the game more easily. 

Fitness equipment: Danehy Park fitness equipment is comprised of three metal features and it is not evident what they are, or what they can be used for. There are no signs delineating the fitness area or describing the installations, and the equipment is outdated and impractical.  Community members of all ages would benefit from new fitness equipment with appropriate signage that they can access without cost, located in this widely-used Cambridge park.

The exercise equipment is located in a bustling area of Danehy Park, with sports fields, playground, bike path, and a parking lot nearby.  Replacing this equipment with a range of new fitness features and affixing appropriate signage would provide opportunities for community members to improve their health in a fun, outdoor environment, and offer a place to exercise for people who do not have access to a gym.

The City would install stretching, body weight, and low-impact equipment – similar to the features currently found at Magazine Beach – to promote strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. Given that sports leagues and fitness enthusiasts extensively use this park, updating the exercise equipment would provide new opportunities for people to enjoy this space.

The City’s cost estimate includes $62,000 for the exercise equipment, $47,000 for the scoreboards, $19,000 for dog park lights, and $5,000 for signage for a total cost of $133,000, which was rounded up to $140,000.