Around Town

OP-ED: Reflections on the First Watertown Square Plan Hearing

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Part 1: Thomas Jefferson: “That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”

At last Thursday night’s Joint Hearing of the City Council and the Planning Board, the purpose was to gather community information and evaluate the Watertown Square Area Plan. According to Watertown News: “A large group of people supported the plan…” and “A significant number of people spoke out against parts of the project.”

This description is both brief and accurate. Many Watertown residents went to the podium to announce their “strong support” for this plan and/or to support it with the caveat that they’d like even more density. One by one, community members, finding no reason to look deeper into this plan, went up to the podium and started their comments with a cookie-cutter like “I strongly support this plan” and “I don’t think it goes far enough.”

They’d be a bit more convincing if some residents who agreed with this position hadn’t chosen to hold up their middle fingers and hiss behind the backs of those people who had more substantive and nuanced questions to be answered. Every Watertown resident is entitled to be heard, without such disrespectful antics.

Around Town

Watertown Farmers Market Will be Open on Wednesday

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The Watertown Farmers Market will be open this Wednesday. The City of Watertown sent out the following information:

The Market is OPEN on June 19th! Thanks to our fans and all who came by to celebrate our Opening Day last week ~ we hit a record close to 1,000 people visiting the market! 

Just in time for summer’s official start, you can find lots of fun and flavorful fruits and veggies, fantastic baked goods, sustainable seafood and meat, and so much more at this week’s market! 

Please note that due to the high temperatures predicted, we will not have our weekly artisan or musician attending this week. 

Watertown Farmers’ MarketWednesdays 2:30 – 6:30 pm(6:00pm close in October)June 12 – October 23, 2024Rain or ShineSaltonstall ParkCorner of Main St. & Whites Ave. (next to City Hall, 149 Main Street)

Providing access to farm fresh and specialty foods, supporting local agriculture and businesses, addressing food insecurity, building community, and promoting healthy and sustainable living. See more details about this week’s market by clicking here.

Police/Fire

UPDATED: Statewide 911 Outage Over

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UPDATE: The Massachusetts 911 system has been restored. The public may now resume calling 911 for emergencies. Thank you for your patience + cooperation. 

The State 911 Department continues to investigate the cause of the disruption. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Fire and Police departments regarding issues with 911 service:

There is a statewide 911 outage. To reach Watertown Fire or Police please call 617-972-6500 or pull one of the 300+ red fire boxes throughout the city.

Entertainment

Watertown Gallery Holding Book Launch Pop-Up This Week

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Screenshot

The following announcement was provided by Storefront Art Projects:

A Book Launch POP-UP June 20-22

Join us Friday, June 21, from 6-8 p.m.  for the official book-launch for Eric Giroux’s novel Zodiac Pets! 

Author reading at 7 p.m.

Book sale and seltzer throughout. In his follow-up to the award-winning Ring On Deli, Eric returns to the hard-luck hamlet of Pennacook, Massachusetts, where misfit Wendy Zhou confronts dark forces aiming to buy the town and plunk a giant dome over it. Also showing: paintings by Jasmine Chen

Gallery Hours: this Thursday and Saturday 1 – 4 p.m.  AND this Friday, June 21, from 6-8 p.m.

The gallery is located at 83 Spring St., Watertown. Find out more at storefrontartprojects.com 

Around Town

Places in Watertown to Stay Cool During the Heat Wave

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Children enjoy the new spray pad at Filippello Park in East Watertown. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The City of Watertown provided the following tips about how to keep cool in this week’s heat wave:

As the first heat wave of the season approaches, here are some places to help you stay cool through Sunday, 23, 2024:

The Filippello Park Spray Pad, located between Arlington and Grove Streets, is open daily from 9:15 a.m.-8:15 p.m. all summer. The Watertown Free Public Library, at 123 Main Street, is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m-5 p.m. The Library will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The DCR Pool, located at 138 Pleasant Street, is scheduled to be open on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 11:15 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. It will be open daily through Sunday, August 18, 2024. See information about the pool.

Around Town

City of Watertown Closures for the Juneteenth Holiday

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The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

City Hall, the Parker Annex, Department of Public Works Offices, the Senior Center and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in observance of Junteenth. Please be aware that due to the Juneteeth holiday on Wednesday, trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day after the holiday. The pickup schedule is Monday, June 17-Tuesday, June 18, 2024 and Thursday, June 20-Saturday, June 22, 2024. A holiday postpones pickup by one day.

Around Town

LETTER: Resident Seeks Help Recovering Lost Items

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Dear Watertown MA News,

Please see the attachment (at bottom) and brief summary regarding a recent incident at 48 Bridge street in Watertown, Ma 02472 In May 2024. I am avidly looking to recover these items, and asking for help if anything has showed up? Thank you for your service in the community of victims suffering loss to theft. SUMMARY:

My items were placed at the outside walkway of 48 Bridge St., Watertown, MA 02472 momentarily on the morning of Thursday, May 16, 2024 around 9:45 a.m.

Unfortunately I was brought to Mt. Auburn Hospital in an ambulance and my property was left at the strangers outside walkway by accident.

Around Town

LETTER: Green Infrastructure Must be Part of the Watertown Square Area Plan

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The following letter was submitted to be read at the June 13, 2024 Watertown Square Area Plan meeting:

Dear Vincent, Watertown Planning Board, and Watertown City Council:

I am sorry I cannot attend in person this evening, so I hope that this can go on the Public record as my comment:

—–

First, I just want to say that I have been excited to hear about the plans for Watertown Square to develop the area — much-needed improvements in public transportation, walkability, bike-ability, drive-ability, housing, local businesses, and our community as a whole, and I can say that the people of Watertown have very much appreciated your including the residents in the planning process. We have had the chance to voice our concerns, and we are grateful for that. 

Thank you to all of those who are working to make this the best plan for Watertown. I realize there is momentum to give the plan a GREEN light. However, please hear me out when I say tonight that I think that as good as this plan is, there is still a huge, critical piece that is missing and a means to make this plan much better for the future of Watertown. I hope that with my speaking up tonight, members of the Planning Board and City Council, and hopefully also any residents of Watertown who are listening, will consider taking the necessary steps to further optimize the plan to encompass that which is missing: 

Urban Ecological Planning and Living Green Infrastructure.