Around Town

Changes at the Watertown Farmers Market: New Hours New Layout

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Vendors set up under the trees in the lower section of Saltonstall Park for the 2024 Watertown Farmers Market. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown Farmers Market announced a new closing time and a new layout for the month of October 2024. See details provided by the City of Watertown below:

CHANGES AFOOT AT THE WFM: 6:00PM close AND new layout

Saltonstall Park renovation is about to begin. In anticipation, we will be modifying our layout starting this week, October 2nd until the end of the season. All vendors that were previously located on the upper park are moved to the plaza, lower park, or the edge of the field. Please review the new layout posted below. As always, you can ask at the Market Manager booth to help locate your favorite vendors.

Around Town

Watertown Seniors Enjoy Food, Fun at Rotary’s Cookout; Club Has More Events in the Planning

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The Rotary Club of Watertown served up hundreds of older residents at the 2024 Senior Citizen Cook Out. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Hundreds of older Watertown residents came together on a recent Sunday for an afternoon of food, entertainment, a raffle and more at the Rotary Club’s Senior Citizen Cook Out. The Sons of Italy Hall filled up with people looking forward to having a hamburger, hot dog, pizza, or many other treats provided by local restaurants and organizations. While they enjoyed their meal, seniors listened to music provided by DJ Rich Picceri and enjoyed several performances by dancers from the Mass Motion School of Dance. Dancers from Mass Motion School of Dance perform at the Watertown Rotary Senior Citizen Cook Out.

Schools

City Council Suggesting New WHS Auditorium be Named After Former Town Manager

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The City Council joined the people submitting suggested names for facilities at the new Watertown High School by submitting the name of the man who enabled the City of Watertown to build the new school without a tax increase. On Tuesday, the City Council voted to allow City Council President Mark Sideris to send a letter on behalf of the Council suggesting that the auditorium be named after former Town and City Manager Michael Driscoll. “I do think it is appropriate for a number of reasons,” Sideris said. “Michael Driscoll was the author of many of the things that went on in this community and the new high school, as well as the two new elementary schools, would not be going on right now if not for his guidance to this Council and the community and the School Committee on how to approach this.”

Schools

Take a Look Around the Half Completed New Watertown High School

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Architects showed the tour the inside of the new auditorium at Watertown High School. The balcony can be seen on the left side. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

While still a mesh of steel, concrete, and wood, visitors can get an idea of what the future home of Watertown’s high schoolers will look like when it opens in 2026. With construction of the new Watertown High School at the midpoint, the designers of the new school led a group of Watertown School and City officials around the four-level school building taking shape between Common and Columbia streets. City Councilor President Mark Sideris, left, and Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli stand outside the Watertown High School construction site.

Around Town

UPS Customer Service Center in Watertown Has Closed

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The UPS Customer Service Center in Watertown has closed and the company encouraged customers to use other locations, such as the UPS Store in Watertown Square. The Customer Service Center was located at 76 Arlington St. and was a place to pick up and drop off packages. Mitch Polikoff, UPS Director of Media Relations confirmed the closing. “We are closing select UPS Customer Centers to better align with our customers’ preferences for more convenient and easily accessible drop-off options,” Polikoff said.

Government

What’s Next in the Watertown Square Plan? See When the Next Meeting Will Take Place

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The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

The next steps of the Watertown Square Area Plan implementation will be to discuss and approve zoning amendments. A zoning amendment is a proposed change to the zoning requirements and map, without having to completely rewrite the zoning code. To approve new zoning, the City will hold a Joint Public Hearing with the City Council and Planning Board to discuss the proposed zoning, hear public comment, and approve new zoning amendments. The above map is the proposed zoning map from the final endorsed Watertown Square Area Plan. 

When does this next step begin? The first step will be to complete something called a “first reading.”

Around Town

See Photos from a Damp and Fun-Filled 2024 Faire on the Square

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Umbrellas and rain slickers were the fashion choices for the 2024 Faire on the Square. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The 2024 edition of Watertown’s Faire on the Square was a wet one, but those who braved the elements enjoyed plenty of activities, food, music, and booths featuring local businesses and organizations. Among the visitors to Saltonstall Park was Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who toured the Faire with Watertown elected officials and was interviewed by Watertown Cable Access Television. Watertown Cable Access spoke with Congresswoman Katherine Clark. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The entertainment stage featured Steve Tashjian Ensemble, School of Rock, Chris Cote and his band of These Guys, and demonstrations by Watertown Police Officer Andrew Civetti and K-9 Zane.