Police/Fire

Firefighters from Across the Nation Pay Their Respects to Watertown’s Fallen Firefighter

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The sorrow of bagpipes echoed through Watertown for the second time in three years. On Wednesday, thousands of firefighters gathered to pay their final respects to fallen firefighter Joseph Toscano. Tosacno’s funeral was held at St. Patrick’s Church at 11 a.m. Firefighters from across the state, and as far away as California, lined Main Street in Watertown Square to salute Toscano as his casket was brought to the church atop a Watertown Fire Engine. Toscano died suffering a medical emergency while battling a two alarm-blaze at 29 Merrifield Ave.

Fallen Firefighter

Toscano Overcame Challenges as a Youth to Become a Fine Firefighter, Husband

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Thousands of firefighters are expected to pour into Watertown Wednesday to bid farewell Firefighter Joseph Toscano, who died in the line of duty and whose funeral will be held Wednesday. But a couple knew the fallen hero better than anyone. 

When Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Bob Quinn needed to appoint an aide 12 and a half years ago an he knew the Toscano was the perfect man for the job. “He was my first choice,” Quinn said. “I need someone that I could rely on, someone that I could trust, someone who could make decisions to help me make good decisions.”

Quinn said Toscano’s death is a “devastating” blow for the department. “He was a fantastic person,” Quinn said.

Arsenal Mall Renovation

Changes to Arsenal Park Could Result from Renovation of Arsenal Mall

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Boylston Properties Principal Bill McQuillan had an urgent message for residents and town officials Wednesday night. If they want to improve Arsenal Park, now is the time to start figuring out how. 

“We knew this was going to come up,” McQuillan said “It’s August 17, we need that park figured out, because we’re not going to do this plan without that park, or without that park we’re going to do a different plan.”

Arsenal Project developers held their fourth community meeting, at the Innovation Space at the Arsenal Mall Wednesday, where they updated residents and town officials on the project’s design direction and presented their latest building and site renderings. The presentation included preliminary plans to create pathways through the park that would connect directly to the property. Arsenal Park is run and maintained by the Conservation Commission, which would have to approve any proposed changes. Though the upgrades to the park were included in the presentation, Design Architect Christopher Jones said there’s still a lot of work to be done with the town and community.

Government

Watertown Board of Health OKs Keeping of Chickens and Bees With a Permit

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The Watertown Board of Health voted unanimously to approve a regulation creating Hen and Honey Bee permits Wednesday, as well as updating the regulation governing the keeping of animals. Boston, and Somerville have passed similar regulations for hens and honeybees and Cambridge is currently looking into it, town consultant Donna Moultrup said. The permit, which must be renewed annually, is designed to promote sustainability and local food production, a draft of the regulation read. Though residents can apply for the permits immediately, they won’t go into effect until May 1. The Board of Health spent the past 2 years consulting with experts, as well as the Watertown Bee Committee as they developed the regulations, Board Chairman John H. Straus said.

Schools

Gift from Ernie Boch Jr. to Watertown Schools Will Make Sweet Music

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Watertown students will be making some sweet music on some new instruments thanks to a gift of $10,000 worth of new music equipment given to the Watertown Public Schools by Ernie Boch Jr.

The Norwood-based automotive dealer recently donated 18 pieces of new music equipment for the music program through a grant from his charity Music Drives Us. Boch visited Watertown High School Wednesday to present a plaque commemorating the award, and to listen to the 30 member high school band perform. He said that he started the charity 10 years ago to supplement budget cuts to school music programs.

“Every study tells us that if you study music at a younger age it makes you a better person in many, many ways,” Boch said. “It actually rewires your brain. It helps you learn a second language easier, music is a second language.

Arsenal on the Charles

Residents Have Mixed Reaction to Latest Plans for Athenahealth’s Campus

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Athenahealth and residents met for round three of discussions about the company’s plans to redevelop its Arsenal Street headquarters Tuesday night. The company presented its modified Master Plan to redevelop it’s Arsenal On the Charles headquarters at the Coolidge School Apartments complex. The updated plan included an increased setback from the new parking garage and North Beacon Street, new pedestrian zones to increase circulation, and the elimination of 227 parking spaces from the proposed new parking garage. Michael Crowley, vice president of athenaEnvironment said that zoning requirements mandated the setback from the parking garage and the street be a minimum of 25 feet, but Athena increased the setback to a total of 88 feet. The additional space will be used to create a “pocket park,” to create a buffer between the street and the garage Crowley said.

Government

First Draft of Filippello Park Renovation Disappoints Council, Residents

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Watertown residents and officials expressed were disappointed by the initial plans for a new dog park a Filippello Park Tuesday. The town got its first look at the preliminary concept plan for the Filippello Park playground located at the Grove Street entrance of the park during a public meeting at Town Hall. Peter Centola, director of Recreation and consultant Glenn Howard of CDM Smith unveiled the plan, which includes a new dog park, two basketball courts, a picnic area, and a large oval green space. Howard said that they were limited in what they could do because they can’t disturb the soil below two feet because parts of the land used to be a landfill, and parts of the site where the basketball courts will be is still used to dump snow during the winter. Councilor Tony Palomba said that the dog park that was presented wasn’t the state of the art dog park the Dog Park Task Force had planned, or that the council had envisioned when if passed a resolution incorporating a dog park be placed at Filippello Park is possible.

Government

Council, Residents Talk About Qualities They Want in Next Police Chief

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It was nearly a full house in the Town Council Chambers Wednesday, as officials and residents gathered to discuss what they’re looking for in their next police chief. The Committee on Public Safety held a public meting to discuss the design of the assessment center that will be used to narrow down the pool of candidates for the new police chief, and to give residents and officials an opportunity weigh in on the process. Town Manager Michael Driscoll and Public Safety Consultants LLC, the firm hired to design the center, were in attendance to explain the process and hear what audiences members were looking for in their next chief. Chief Wayne Sampson of Public Safety Consultants said that getting feedback was an important part of designing an assessment center unique to Watertown. “Generally speaking, throughout Massachusetts the duties of a chief of police are generally the same, but there is some uniqueness in each community,” Sampson said.