Around Town

Arsenal Park Picnic, Pavilion Permit Applications Now Available

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Arsenal Park’s renovation is nearly complete and the Watertown Recreation Department will accept permit applications for picnics and the pavilion. See more in the Recreation Department’s announcement, below. Watertown Recreation is now accepting Picnic & Pavilion Permit Applications! 

Reservations are available for dates on or after July 16th, 2025 — we are not accepting reservations for earlier dates. We’re excited to roll out new pricing and brand-new Pavilion rental options (includes multiple picnic tables and more)! Filippello Park reservations now require their own specific application.

Around Town

Teamsters Union Releases Statement About Trash Strike

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The following announcement was provided by Teamsters Local 25:

Following a strike vote that passed by more than 90 percent on Monday, members of Teamsters Local 25 at Republic Services are about to conclude their first week of the work stoppage without a fair offer from the company. 

The overwhelming vote to strike was caused by Republic‘s refusal to agree to pay the same wages and benefits that have been negotiated by Local 25 at Capitol Waste and Star Waste Systems, the trash behemoth’s major competitors in Eastern Massachusetts. “This strike is all about fairness, equity, and maintaining the area standards established by Local 25,” said Thomas G. Mari, President of Local 25. “I have never seen a group of workers who are so united and committed to making certain they are able to enjoy the same pay and benefits as people who are doing the exact same job at another employer.”

Republic has never indicated in any negotiating sessions that it cannot afford to pay the wages and health insurance provided by its competitors. In fact, Republic Services — the second-largest sanitation company in North America — enjoyed total revenue of $16 billion in 2024, a nearly six percent increase over the year prior. The firm also returned $1.18 billion to shareholders and close to $13 million to its CEO.

Around Town

Q&A with Laura Kurman Who is Retiring from Wayside Multi Service Center After More Than 30 Years

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Laura Kurman retired as Executive Director of the Wayside Multi Service Center in June. She worked there for more than three decades. (Courtesy of Wayside Multi Service Center)

For more than three decades, Laura Kurman has been working to help those in need in Watertown. She retired as Executive Director of the Wayside Multi Service Center at the end of June, and looked back on her time. Kurman spoke with Watertown News Editor Charlie Breitrose in her office at the house on North Beacon Street that serves as the offices for the Wayside Multi Service Center in early June.

Around Town

Trash Strike Continues, See When Pickups Could Resume

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Watertown DPWWatertown’s trash and recycling pick up will be cancelled for Wednesday, July 2. The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Curbside trash and recycling pickup is cancelled on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, and for the remainder of this week, due to the on-going labor strike between the City’s contractor, Republic Services and their unionized workforce. Today, Republic Services informed the City of Watertown, in writing, that they will mobilize crews to provide curbside trash and recycling collection beginning again on Monday, July 7, 2025. If this does not occur, we will provide further information as it is available. Our Public Works and Communications team are communicating with the Republic Services’ team.

Around Town

Watertown Rotary Members from Past and Present Gather to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

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The Rotary Club of Watertown celebrated 100 years with a dinner on June 24. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

WALTHAM — For a century, the Rotary Club of Watertown has been coming together to make the community a better place, and put service above self. The Club has a variety of events, including hosting the Senior Citizen Cook Out for more than 30 years, awarding scholarships to Watertown High School students, and hosting the Dancing With the Stars event. Watertown Rotarians from as far back as the 1980s joined current active members on June 24 to celebrate the Club’s 100th anniversary at an event held at Stazione di Federale in Waltham. Longtime Rotarian, and emcee for the evening, Paul DerBoghosian said that Watertown’s club was founded 25 years after the first Rotary Club was founded when Paul Harris brought a group of people together in Chicago to make their community and our world a better place together.

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Watertown Community Foundation Launches Summer Matching Fund Campaign

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) launched a summer matching gift campaign to raise $25,000 in gifts and unlock up to $25,000 in matching gifts, made possible by individual donations from Watertown Community Foundation board members and other community supporters. Through July 25, 2025, all gifts to the Watertown Community Foundation will be matched, dollar for dollar — to double the amount, and the impact, of every donation. “We have this remarkable opportunity,” said Lauren Coughlin Unsworth, Foundation Board Co President. “The Watertown Community Foundation has a history of responding to challenging times; first during the 2008 recession, and most recently during the COVID pandemic. Many of our local non-profits are bracing for major funding cuts – planning for staff cuts or program changes, if necessary.

Around Town

Trash & Recycling Pickup in Watertown Cancelled Tuesday Due to Strike

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The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

Republic Services, Watertown’s trash and recycling contractor, has informed the City of Watertown that they were unable to reach an agreement with their employee union before the deadline on June 30, 2025, resulting in a labor strike beginning today, July 1, 2025. As a result, Republic Services is unable to provide curbside trash, recycling, and yard waste pickup on July 1, 2025, and the Watertown Recycling Center will be closed. The City’s composting program run by Black Earth remains on schedule. We remain in constant contact with Republic Services about contingency plans and we expect to make an announcement later today, July 1, 2025, with updates regarding tomorrow’s schedule. While this dispute is between a contractor and their employee union, we understand the impact this can have on our community and are remaining in contact with Republic Services and will be sharing an update today on the City’s website, social media, and the Everbridge Emergency Alert system.

Around Town

Potential Trash Collection Strike Could Impact Watertown Residents

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Watertown DPWWatertown trash and recycling toters. UPDATE: Due to the strike trash and recycling pickup in Watertown will be cancelled on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. See more here. Watertown residents may feel the impact of a looming strike by employees of the company that picks up trash and recycling around the City. The contract between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 ends on June 30, 2025, and a strike could occur if a new deal is not reached.