Around Town

Sidewalk Replacements, Removal of Catenary System This Week on Mt. Auburn Street

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Crews will be replacing sidewalks on parts of Mt. Auburn Street, along with removing the old bus wires system, and replacing drainage. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Curb Removal & Reset

Crews will be removing and resetting the westbound curbing on Mount Auburn Street between Winsor Avenue and Hillside Road. Sidewalk Grading & Forming

Once the curb removal  is completed they will be grading (measures used for proper drainage) and forming the westbound sidewalk on Mount Auburn Street between School Street and Hillside RoadThe crews will also continue forming and grading the east bound sidewalk on Mount Auburn Street at Norseman Avenue and School Lane.

Around Town

Watertown Scout Brings Home District Pinewood Derby Trophy With a Car Designed All by Herself

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Elisa Ruby Peck and her proud dad, Jon, after Elisa won the District Pinewood Derby. By Jon Peck

When it comes to Scouting and Pinewood Derby Racing, the competition is fierce across the country and the rules are unwavering. Divided into divisions by age, each Scout is given an Official Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit with a block of wood, some wheels and an eye-watering amount of guidelines regarding weights and materials. With a level playing field, winning is based on engineering, creativity and a usually healthy dose of parental support. For 8-year-old Elisa Ruby Peck, a second grader at Hosmer Elementary and a proud member of Watertown’s Cub Scout Pack 30, the secret to beating the pack winners from 12 surrounding cities and towns was leaving the adults in the dust.

Around Town

Charles River Ferry Taking Shape — Wada Hoppah Will Soon Take to the Water

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Drew Rollert, founder of Wada Hoppah, standing on the nearly completed Charles River ferry. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

CONCORD — Three years of dreams and a year-and-a-half of design and labor is coming together in the form of the first modern ferry built to navigate the Charles River. Drew Rollert, founder of Wada Hoppah, recently showed Watertown News the nearly completed boat at Inriver Tank and Boat’s production facility in West Concord. The idea of a water service from Watertown to Boston came three years ago when he and a group’s effort to get to Fenway Park by reasonably priced Uber or MBTA bus for a Red Sox game were thwarted. With the idea hatched, Rollert needed a boat.

Around Town

Watertown’s Community Preservation Program is Turning 10 Years Old

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

Join the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for a special Annual Public Hearing to celebrate completed Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects and help us update the CPA Plan. When: July 16, 2026, at 7-8:45 p.m.

Where: Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown Savings Bank Room

Stay tuned for more details and visit watertown-ma.gov/cpc for information about Watertown’s Community Preservation Program and Community Preservation Committee. Questions: Contact Lanae Handy, Community Preservation Coordinator at lhandy@watertown-ma.gov

Around Town

Watertown’s Tipsy Tea Party 2026: “Drag me to the Disco!”

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The Tipsy Tea Party will be hosted by the City of Watertown’s Events Team at the Commander’s Mansion on Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. See more details provided by the Events Team, below. Pride Month is around the corner, and that means the Tipsy Tea is back! 

Join the City Events Team and the Friends of the COA for a festive gathering featuring delicious brunch bites, a cash bar, and fabulous drag entertainment in celebration of Pride. This year’s theme is “Drag Me to the Disco!” 

Tickets are $40 and go on sale Friday, May 1, 2026. Please note this event is 21+. Visit our website to meet this year’s dazzling performers, and don’t forget to set a reminder — tickets go fast! The Commander’s Mansion is located at 440 Talcott Ave., Watertown.

Transportation

MBTA Hosting Listening Session About Buses on Arsenal Street

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Share your thoughts about public transportation on Arsenal Street with MBTA representatives at the Watertown Library on May 30 and June 14. The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

Visit the MBTA and City of Watertown at the Watertown Free Public Library to share feedback about the ways bus service in Watertown can better serve you along Arsenal Street. This is part of an exciting project focused on improving Arsenal Street to provide better bus Route 70 bus service. The project team will be tabling in the library lobby on Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 9 AM – 12 PM and Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 1 PM – 4 PM and wants to hear your feedback. Stop by anytime, learn, and share!

Around Town

Sacrifices of Veterans Remembered at Memorial Day Ceremony; Importance of Veterans Benefits Discussed

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Members of Watertown Veterans organizations hold the flags during the 2026 Memorial Day Ceremony at Victory Field. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

For former Marine George McMasters Memorial Day gives him mixed feelings, and is a time when he can remember his compatriots who were lost in battle. The Watertown resident spoke during the Memorial Day Ceremony at Victory Field, held after Monday’s Memorial Day Parade. “I have mixed feelings. It’s kind of a sad day for me,” McMaster said.

Around Town

Resistance and Inspiration — Watertown Citizens’ Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

Resistance and Inspiration is the theme of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment’s 47 th Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner that will take place on Sunday, May 31 at the First Parish of Watertown at 35 Church St. in Watertown. The potluck will begin at 5 p.m. and our program will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Watertown Citizens members and supporters came together last year to build community and support each other in difficult times. The challenges we faced then have only grown – increasing attacks on our civil liberties and on immigrant and marginalized communities; continuing cuts in funding for basic needs – affordable housing, healthcare, and education; destruction of environmental protections and the expansion of fossil fuels; and unabetted illegal military actions causing death and injury to hundreds of thousands. Fortunately, the past year has also been marked by larger and larger mass demonstrations throughout the country, at state houses, and in local communities.