Since 1979, Cambridge Arts Council (CAC), the city of Cambridge agency dedicated to supporting the arts, administrates a Public Art Program that commissions works, including both temporary and permanent art projects, that vary widely depending on each site and situation. This program is supported by The National Endowment for the Arts, established by Congress in 1965 to support the arts, both new and established, throughout the country.

The North American artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles was invited by CAC in 1990 to work together with the Landscape Architect John Kissida in transforming a municipal landfill of 55 acres into a city park. The project for the Danehy Park aimed to restore to this place, that had been for a long time in decay, with an ecologic dynamic system. It also provides to the Cambridge community with 20% more of open space.

Ukeles' project was established in four different stages. From 1990-93 she worked on the construction of a glassphalt path that gives access to the park hill. In 1993 she planted on the top of the hill several species of "smelling-plants" and trees. In 2004, two "circle places" made of recycled rubber, designed as stage dance floors, where installed also in the hill as an invitation for people to apreciate and share the parks view of Cambridge and Boston skyskapers. The project was completed with community implants of collected objects on top of the mound.

the path

From 1990-93 the artist conducted several educational strategies with students, neighborhood and art and design communities of Cambridge to show the benefits of using a recyclable and safe material as glassphalt in one of the parks paths. Together with the city of Cambridge and its recycling program and the donation of glass mixed colors by Spectrum Glass Company in Woodinville, Washington, the artist created a one-half mile glassphalt path made of 22 tons of recycled glass and mirror.

the plantings

In the summer of 1993 the artist finished planting an alley of eight trees (red maple, pin oak, champagne ash and green ash) along the glassphalt path and over 3.000 individual plants of herbs, roses and four varieties of grasses on top of the hill that replace the earlier smells of the landfill.

the circles

In 2004, Ukeles completed 2 circles made of recycled rubber to be located at the top of the hill, and the city of Cambridge highest point. They are places that people can use as dance floors and represent the healing process of transformation and renewal.