Centers And Squares
Welcome to Centers and Squares
As a Cambridge real estate agent, the city squares of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford and the town centers of Arlington, Watertown and Belmont, Massachusetts are my home turf. And as a lifelong New Englander who’s lived within twenty miles of Boston most of my life, I can introduce you to other nearby towns as we search for your new home. If you’re planning to sell your home in Cambridge, MA or nearby you’ll find plenty of info about the home selling process here too. Questions? Send me an email or call me at 617-504-1737.
Cambridge Parks – Do You Have A Key to the Smallest Park in Cambridge?
Taylor Square - The Smallest Park in Cambridge
Cambridge has a wonderful variety of parks and playgrounds. In the city every bit of green space is greatly appreciated. In the first in a series highlighting some of the parks around Cambridge we’ll check out the smallest park in Cambridge MA.
Cambridge’s Smallest Park
This tiny little park is just a block from my Cambridge real estate office in front of the Engine 8, Ladder 4 Fire Station at the busy intersection of Huron Ave, Garden Street and Sherman Street. Inside the locked gate of this grassy mini park – just 57 square feet in size – is a flag pole and a granite bench.
When I first heard about this park in miniature I thought it was some sort of exclusive park for neighbors – similar to locked parks for residents in the South End or Beacon Hill in Boston.
Because the park is indeed locked – and some people received keys to the park in the mail. Another real estate agent in my office knew someone who had received one of the mysterious keys. What was his secret? How did he score a key?
Taylor Square – It’s Not Just a Park – It’s Art
Copy Me - Taylor Square Park Bench
When I took a closer look at the park and saw the bench pictured at right I realized something more was going on. Inscribed on the granite bench are two keys – one says “Taylor Sq”, the other “Copy Me”. Perhaps this wasn’t the exclusive private park I imagined it to be. Perhaps it was something more.
Sure enough, with a little bit of poking around online, I discovered that the park is indeed an art installation. Envisioned by artist Paul Ramirez Jonas as a communal space, 5000 keys designed by Jonas were mailed to people in Cambridge. Keys are also available at the Fire Station. People are encouraged to copy the keys. According to Jonas, “Taylor Square belongs to the public. It is closed, yet simultaneously open, re-emphasizing that the ownership of public space resides in the public itself.”
Did the artist successfully convey his message? I’m not so sure given what I thought and felt about the park before discovering its secret. But a park with a secret – and a message – is a good thing. I’m going to go and ask a fireman for a key – and make a lot of copies!
- A Cambridge fireman waters Cambridge’s smallest park
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