Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/page/61/)
The City Council approved 36 items from the Capital Improvement Program for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, including road repairs, some money for the Middle School project, park projects, and requests from the Fire and Police departments.
Dr. Bernard Lafayette and Watertown Kingian Nonviolence Trainer Holly Cachimuel, who is a former Watertown teacher.(Photo by Chuck Dickinson)
The death of legendary civil rights icon Dr. Bernard Lafayette on March 5 resonates deeply throughout the city of Watertown. “Doc” first came here for several days in 2016, at the behest of former Watertown Middle School teacher Ruth Henry. Henry had trained in Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Resolution under Dr. Lafayette. Lafayette had promised Martin Luther King, Jr. before his 1968 assassination that he would spread King’s nonviolence teaching and practice around the world.
A vision of what a new Watertown Middle School could look like created by Ai3 Architects and presented to the School Committee in June 2025.
Architects have started creating detailed designs for a new Watertown Middle School to determine how much a new school would cost, and that information will be used by the City to see whether Watertown’s budget can handle a project expected to cost significantly more than $100 million.
City Manager George Proakis spoke at the Watertown Business Coalition’s City Update on March 5, 2026. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Watertown became a magnet for life science companies in the last several years, and City Manager George Proakis said the building boom in that industry may be slowed, but other industries may be attracted to the same things: proximity to Boston and the universities in the area, easy access, and a nice place to be.
Residents can donate and pick up items at the Watertown Swap Shop. The program had to be cancelled multiple times during the Trash Strike, but the Solid Waste and Recycling Advisory Committee, and Watertown Faces Climate Change added one opportunity for residents to take part. See details below.
With a freeze on SNAP benefits set to start Nov. 1, 2025, food drives for local food pantries are being planned. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Starting Nov. 1, 2025, nearly 2,500 Watertown residents who receive federal food assistance funds will likely lose hundreds of dollars in SNAP benefits. Food pantries, non-profits and other groups in the City are gearing up to try to fill the gap.
Watertown Community Gardens received a state grant to improve the path from Watertown to Cambridge. (Contributed Photo)
By Linda RelsonWatertown Community Gardens, Board Chair
Volunteers have been working on the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway all year, and their efforts got a boost earlier this month with the award of a MassTrails Grant.
The following announcement was provided by West Newton Cinema:
The West Newton Cinema Foundation is presenting a special screening of the internationally acclaimed documentary There Was, The Was Not on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington St., West Newton.
Vitoria Regia said “Charles River and the Joseph Thompson Bridge” was inspired by an area of the river she finds very soothing. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)
Six new banners like the fence line around a former industrial property on the Westside of Watertown. The images were created by local artists and will be displayed around for the foreseeable future.
A view of the plans for the now scrapped Watertown Mall Transformation Project. Alexandria Real Estate sold the Watertown Mall property, including Parking the Retail, OL1, R1, and the Parking Garage 1. The company retained the other properties on the left side of the illustration. (Courtesy of Alexandria Real Estate)
Last week’s sale of the Watertown Mall property ended plans to create a life science campus on the north side of Arsenal Street, but the Charles River Regional Chamber said it remains bullish on prospects for that section of town.
Jonathan Bockian
Watertown author Jonathan Bockian announced he will launch his new historical mystery novel What Was Forbidden: a Venice Ghetto mystery, in discussion with Pia Owens, author of the “Let’s Have It Out” newsletter, on Sunday, November 2, 2-4 p.m., at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. The event is free and open to the public. Advance registration is encouraged at the webpage linked here.
Dear Watertown!
As the youngest of four kids , I’ve spent my whole life watching my mom, Amy Donohue, give her time and energy to the Watertown Public Schools. Education has always been number one in our house, whether it was volunteering on the PTO, helping with the Watertown Education Foundation events, or donating to every youth group and sports team you can think of.