“The Muscle Behind the Hustle”: Meet the Crew that Maintains Danehy Park

This past September marked the 35th anniversary of Danehy Park. Since the expansive recreational space opened in 1990, it has become a favorite destination for Cambridge residents and visitors. Whether you come to play or watch athletics, travel the walking paths connecting Alewife and North Cambridge neighborhoods, explore the park’s two playgrounds, marvel at the Miyawaki forest, relax in the picnic areas, or enjoy annual events, Danehy Park is a place that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy. And what better way to celebrate this cornerstone of the Cambridge community than to meet the team that keeps Danehy Park thriving?

“We like to say we’re the muscle behind the hustle,” says Keith Fay, Danehy Park’s site supervisor. Fay works alongside Frankie DeJesus, Shyee Douglas, Chris Febles, Giddeon Gonzalez, Dave Hintlian, Taquaine Mason, Scot Megan, Mike Spartichino, and Jacob Witty. The crew is part of the Department of Human Service Programs’ Recreation Division, and collectively they manage the daily operation and maintenance of Danehy Park.

A typical day begins at 6 a.m., when the team assesses the 55-acre complex. They spend the early morning watering grass, making repairs, and disposing of trash. Around 9 a.m., the team holds a staff meeting to make a gameplan for upcoming projects, like event set up or field reconstruction. Afternoons in the fall and spring are devoted to preparing Danehy’s seven athletic fields. Thursdays are “cut days,” when the crew mows grass, grooms turf, and repaints lines by 2 p.m., before athletes take the field for practices or games. Danehy staff stay into the evening to operate field lights and scoreboards.

During the spring and fall, Danehy hosts more than 10,000 hours of permitted athletic use for softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, orienteering, cricket, rugby, and flag football teams. The complex is also the home field for many CRLS Junior Varsity and Varsity sports and the location for several Cambridge youth sports organizations.

"For me, the best part of the park is Softball Field 2,” says Shyee Douglas, whose primary focus is field conditions. He recently helped replace the infield. The process involved removing dirt, installing new infield mix at specific grades to improve drainage, and implanting new bases and pitching rubber. Shyee also assisted in removing a lip to make a smoother transition for field players to move between the infield and outfield. “It takes a lot of exact measurements,” he explains.

“St. Peter’s Field is my favorite part of the Danehy Park complex,” says Mike Spartichino. “I remember watching my dad play hard ball there when I was five years old.” Now, his responsibilities include preparing the field to host the annual Old Time Baseball Game, which draws celebrity guests and hundreds of spectators to Danehy each August.

Like Spartichino, nearly everyone on the Danehy crew grew up in Cambridge and maintains a strong connection to the city and its residents. “We pride ourselves on our relationship with the community.” says Fay. “For many of the park’s neighbors, Danehy is an extension of their backyard. And for residents who live in Rindge Towers or Walden Square, the park is their backyard.”

The Danehy crew has played a crucial role in how the park has evolved over three decades. They support resident initiatives, like the park’s volunteer Pollinator Garden and the park’s picnic program, which allows residents to book gatherings to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and other outdoor functions. They also make some of Cambridge's favorite events possible, from JazzFest in the summer to Danehy Park Family Day every September. Frankie DeJesus, who has worked on the Danehy team for more than twenty years, helped create Recreation's “Screen on the Green” summer movie night events series. Staff are also responsible for setting up the stage and AV support for the Danehy Park Summer Concert performances in July and August.

Summer is often the busiest time of year at Danehy, and to accommodate the season’s demands, the crew expands to include seasonal workers and teen interns from the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP). “We consider our seasonal workers and the MSYEP teens a very important part of our summer crew,” says Fay. “Nothing would get done without them.” Employing MSYEP teens, who spend the summer learning landscaping and maintenance skills, is another way that the crew gives back to the community – and a program that gave many Danehy staff their first summer job when they were growing up in Cambridge.

The winter season brings a pause in athletic field use and outdoor events, but the team’s commitment to the community continues year-round. In addition to plowing, salting, and removing ice from the park’s walking paths and playgrounds, the team supports the City’s Snow Exemption Program. “We handle snow removal for Cambridge homeowners who are older adults or who have disabilities and are enrolled in the program,” explains Scot Megan, who has worked for the City for decades.

Access is a central focus of the Danehy team and a defining aspect of the park’s amenities. In 2021, the Louis A. DePasquale Universal Design Playground opened near the park’s Field Street entrance. The 30,000 square foot play space was the first playground in Cambridge to fully incorporate universal design across all of its play structures.

Through the Danehy Park Improvements Plan, a cross-departmental initiative led by the Department of Human Service Programs, the Department of Public Works, and the Community Development Department, the City is creating a roadmap, informed by community feedback, that will guide Danehy Park’s improvements over the next 10-15 years.

Whatever upgrades are on the horizon, the dedicated Danehy Park team will ensure that Danehy Park remains an enjoyable place for everyone who visits. “We will continue to advocate for improvements to the park that support the community’s experience and better accessibility,” says Fay.