Parts of Mt. Auburn to be Repaved in Week of April 21-24

The City of Watertown provided the following Mount Auburn Street Update for the week of  April 21 – April 24, 2026. No work will be performed on Monday, 4/20/2026, due to the holiday. Milling and Paving

Milling (removal of the top layer of pavement) and paving will occur on Mount Auburn Street between Boylston Street and Chauncy Street and on School Street between Porter Street and Adams Avenue. Detours will be in place for this work. Please see details belowTraffic and Sidewalk Impacts

Starting 4/21/2026 through 4/24/2026, a detour will be in place on School Street for milling and paving operations.

Watertown’s Bob Hall, First Boston Marathon Wheelchair Champ & Advocate for Access, Has Died

Bob Hall won the Boston Marathon’s first wheelchair division race in 1975. Bob Hall, a Watertown resident and trailblazing wheelchair athlete and advocate for access, died at the age of 74. A private funeral service will be held at a later date, and visiting hours were held at Nardone Funeral Home on April 16. Hall’s passing was made headlines in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, WGBH and many other places. The Boston Athletic Association had a remembrance on its website.

Historical Tours Focuses on Watertown During the Revolution

The following announcement was provided by the Historical Society of Watertown:

The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the fight for American Independence by taking a walking tour of “Watertown During the Revolution.”

Dates: Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 10:00amSunday, May 24, 2026 at 10:00amSunday, June 7, 2026 at 10:00am(3 chances to take this walking tour)

Meeting Place: Zussman Memorial Park beside 66 Galen St. (The tour will be cancelled for rain.)

Join Historical Society of Watertown walking tour leaders Lynne O’Connell and Beth Houston for a 90-minute walking tour to learn about the important role that the town played during the American Revolution. After the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the Provincial Congress assembled in the town’s Meeting House, making Watertown the seat of the Massachusetts government for 18 months. As a result, many prominent Revolutionary War figures boarded in town, including Paul Revere and Joseph Warren. On the tour, we’ll visit the sites of important dwellings (many of which are no longer standing), public spaces, monuments and plaques as we make our way to the 1772 Edmund Fowle House, where the Executive Council of the Provincial Congress met.

Recreation Department Starting Youth Field Hockey in Fall, Registration Open

Registration is open for a new program offering from Watertown Recreation: Youth Field Hockey. See more information in the announcement from Recreation Department, below. Get ready for a fun, team-focused fall season with the Watertown Recreation Youth Field Hockey Program! Whether your child is new to the game or looking to build on their skills, this league provides a positive, instructional environment centered on development, sportsmanship, and fun. We proudly compete in the Baystate Youth Field Hockey League, offering a consistent and supportive experience for all players.

See What City Buildings Will be Closed for Patriots Day & How Trash Collection Will be Impacted

Multiple City facilities will be closed on Patriots Day, and trash and recycling will be impacted by the holiday. See more information from the City of Watertown, below. Watertown City Hall, Parker Building, Senior Center, Department of Public Works Offices, and the Watertown Free Public Library are closed in observance of Patriots Day on Monday, April 20, 2026.Please note that due to Patriots Day on Monday, April 20, 2026, trash and recycling pickup will be delayed one day. The pickup schedule is Tuesday, April 21 through Saturday, April 25, 2026. A holiday postpones Trash and Recycling collection by one day.

May is Full of Volunteer Opportunities During Watertown Helps Out

Watertown Helps Out, a chance for people to give back to the community where they live and/or work, returns in May. The Watertown Community Foundation has a list of places to make a difference throughout the months. See more details in the announcement from the Foundation, below. Would you like to give back to the community you love? The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF), along with local sponsors and dozens of neighbors, will be out in the community again during the Month of May 2026, volunteering to make Watertown a nicer place to live and work. 

If you would like to volunteer please take a peek at all of the opportunities available in the month of May. More volunteer opportunities are still to be added, so check back in from time to time. We’re looking forward to a fantastic community Month in Watertown!

Sample Produce from the Watertown School’s Freight Farm at Pop Up Farm Stand

Watertown students have been learning high-tech farming in the freight farm that sits in the parking lot behind the Watertown Public School’s Phillips Building. On Thursday, the public can purchase some of the crop raised in the farm at a pop-up farm stand. See more info in the announcement from the schools, below. Join us for a pop-up sale of Watertown Public Schools fresh hydroponic lettuce and herbed sea salt! The event will be held Thursday, April 16 from 4-6 p.m. at 31 Marshall Street.

Care Packages Made by Children in Watertown Lift Spirits of Sailors Deployed to the Middle East

Sailors deployed to the Middle East received care packages sent from Watertown. (Contributed Photo)

Packages sent by a Watertown-based Operation American Soldier put a smile on the faces of a group of sailors deployed to the Middle East. The non-profit group has been providing care packages to troops for 24 years, said Wendy Rocca, one of the founders. OAS sends between 1,200 and 1,800 packages a year depending on the need, the group’s stock, and available funds. Volunteers put together the care packages, which include snacks, drink mix, some toys, and a handwritten note.