Government

Watertown Square Meeting Thursday Night, Kids Activities Available

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

The Watertown Square Area Plan will be discussed at the upcoming Joint City Council and Planning Board Hearing on June 13 at 6 PM in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium. The Hearing will include a presentation from the Project Team, followed by an opportunity for public comment. You can access the full agenda for the Joint Hearing here. 

You can access the plan document on the project’s website or in the above agenda packet to learn about the Draft Plan. This Hearing is a hybrid meeting and you can give public comment either in-person or virtually. To join virtually, you can access the Hearing on June 13 by using this Zoom link, which can also be found on the project’s website and in the agenda above. The City of Watertown’s Recreation Department will also be hosting a “kids-space” during the Hearing for kids ages 5-12 in the Middle School Cafeteria to accommodate those attending! 

Printed copies of the Plan Document can be found at the Watertown Library and Senior Center. You can learn more about the project at the Watertown Square Area Plan website, where you can also reach out with any questions about the Joint Hearing.

Around Town

OP-ED: Watertown Square Redesign Lacks Public Transit Improvement Plan

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Watertown Square. (Photo by City of Watertown)

By Mark Pickering

Watertown stands at a crossroads – on two separate issues. What we do now will guide the city’s way into the future. One question is whether to continue to be a city that emphasizes the use of cars and ignores public transit. The other question is whether to allow the construction of taller buildings in the Square.

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Explains Withdrawal from Human Rights Commission

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To whom it may concern,

It is with a heavy heart and disappointment that I am submitting my resignation from the inaugural Watertown HRC Committee. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been a resident of Watertown since 2018. I credit Nicole Gardner for getting me looped into the community and caring about my neighbors. I’ve been an active moderator for the Facebook Buy Nothing Watertown South group for a few years and I was the 2023 recipient of the World in Watertown Social Justice Scholarship, so when Nicole reached out to me about applying for the HRC Committee, I jumped at the opportunity. I believed that with my multiple identities as a person of color, immigrant, and queer, I could give a voice to those underrepresented within our community.

Schools

Watertown Students Earn College Honors, Graduate from Colleges in Spring of 2024

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Watertown students graduated from Framingham State and UNH, and several earned honors at Saint Anselm, Wisconsin, URI, and Lasell. The following information was provided by the universities or the student’s parents. Graduate

Framingham State University

Isabella Gayane Terzian from Watertown High just graduated from Framingham State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and started her Masters in Special Education the day after Graduating on May 19. University of New Hampshire

The UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE Graduates for Spring 2024 from Watertown, MA:

Anna Irene Papayannopoulos (BS) Cum Laude

Brianna Feeney Williams (BA) Cum Laude

Dean’s List Students

Saint Anselm College

Saint Anselm College has released the Dean’s List of high academic achievers for the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year. To be eligible for this honor, a student must have achieved a grade point average of 3.4 or better in the semester with at least 12 credits of study which award a letter grade.

Around Town

UPDATED: Watertown Farmers Market Returns This Week – See the New Vendors for 2024

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The Watertown Farmers Market begins this week. The organizers provided the following information about what to expect at the market, including new vendors, returning faov

Join us Wednesday, June 12 for Opening Day! It’s almost time for market season~ We’re getting ready to kick off the 11th year of the Watertown Farmers’ Market and celebrate all the market has to offer! Scroll down to see our vendor lineup for this year and watch for more news about special features this year. Thank you for supporting our market and all things local. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable market experience! 

Opening Day Activities

2:30: Opening Bell with City Manager George Proakis2:30-4:30: Lawn games by Watertown Recreation Department3:00-5:00: Performance by HYE Fusion3:30-4:30: Kick off the Season with Get Lively Health & Fitness– free mini Get Moving and Stretch sessions at 3:30 and 4:00pm2:30-6:30: Raffle for Market Gift Certificates(drawing is open all day; you do not need to be present to win

2024 Market Vendors

We are pleased to introduce a wonderful variety of new vendors, and so glad to welcome back our fabulous returners!

Around Town

Watertown Fitness Studio Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Open House for Newcomers

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Screenshot

The following announcement was provided by Get Lively: Health & Fitness:

Kick off the celebrations with our Open House on Saturday, June 15th at 10:30 AM. This is the perfect opportunity for newcomers to try mini classes, meet our energetic crew, and receive a coupon for our new local favorite, Wicked Bagel. Discover what makes Get Lively: Health & Fitness a community favorite! 

Girls Night Out Kickboxing Showdown: Britney vs. Madonna

Get ready to sweat and have fun with our Girls Night Out kickboxing showdown on  Thursday, June 20th at 6:30 PM. Channel your inner pop star with a workout inspired by Britney Spears and Madonna, followed by drinks at Donahue’s.

Around Town

LETTER: Watertown Housing Group Supports Proposed Watertown Square Area Plan

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As advocates for housing availability and affordability in Watertown, we have closely followed the Watertown Square Area Plan process since its kickoff last Fall. Throughout the kitchen table conversations, online surveys, and countless community meetings that we’ve participated in, we’ve watched a plan emerge that manages to balance a wide range of perspectives. As a result, the core elements of the plan garner support from two-thirds of recent survey respondents. Supporting the Plan

While we believe that significantly more work needs to be done to address the housing crisis, this plan represents an important step toward allowing more housing in our city. We strongly urge all who support more housing, a more walkable and bikeable community, and a more vibrant downtown to attend this Thursday’s meeting at the Middle School and speak in support of it.