Shea Park

This little park was my first clue that Quincy looooves its granite. The park is dominated by a statue dedicated to Quincy’s talented and dedicated granite workers. How sweet. Why should you, as a park-​investigating Unilocaler, give a damn? BENCHES. This little rock parade has about *35* of ‘em. Not bad for a miniscule triangle of parkland that’s just a beautified traffic island. But it IS a beautified traffic island — *impeccably* beautified. Superbly groomed hedges, trimmed grass, pretty flowers, brick walks, even a decorative trellis. This is a perfect spot to sit, relax, talk, or eat. The hedges even form a visual and aural barrier between the park and the street; you’ll feel like you’re in a much more secluded park. (Especially if you sit on the south side, further from Copeland St.; you’ll hear the wind jostling the flag on the flagpole more than you’ll hear the cars.) It even has a trashcan — to me that’s quite a luxury when looking for a lunch spot or anywhere you might want to spend a little time hanging out. Even as I write this I’m waffling between four stars and five; it’s no sprawling untouched paradise, but for its size and location, there’s really not a thing you could do to improve it (except maybe install a cooler stocked with Diet Dr. Pepper).