Around Town

Library Offering Guided Walk Along Charles River With Nature Photographer

By |

A local nature photographer will lead a guided walk along the Charles River in conjunction with the Watertown Free Public Library. The library sent out the following information:

Spring time along the Charles is rich with wildlife. On Saturday, June 4 at 10:30 a.m., naturalist photographer Carole Berney will host a guided river walk starting on the patio outside the Watertown Free Public Library at 123 Main St. Feel free to bring your cameras! The walk is limited to 15 people, ages 16 and up.

Around Town

Hundreds of Volunteers Clean Up Charles River for Earth Day

By |

On Saturday, April 30, over 300 people volunteered in Watertown as part of the 17th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup. In a collaboration led by Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), over 3,000 volunteers from 133 groups throughout the watershed worked together to remove litter and debris as well as eradicate invasive species in an effort to beautify the Charles River and surrounding parklands, the CRWA announced. For 17 years the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup has provided thousands of volunteers an opportunity to serve as parkland stewards at sites throughout the Charles River watershed including in Watertown. Through their service, volunteers deepen their connection to the Charles River while increasing their commitment to protect it. On Saturday, participants joined thousands of volunteers across Massachusetts who came together for Park Serve Day MassParks’ annual statewide day of volunteer service.

Environment

LETTER: Coordinators Wanted to Lead Spring River Cleanups

By |

To The Editor,

Help Us End Litter: Join the Great Massachusetts Cleanup

So far, the amount of snowfall this winter is nowhere near the levels we experienced last year. While this is good news for municipal snow removal budgets across Massachusetts, the lack of snow is bad news for anyone who enjoys a break from seeing the litter that has piled up along our roadsides. Unfortunately, litter has become a serious problem all over our state. Trash along our major highways, suburban streets, in small wooded areas, and along secluded country roads is not only ugly, but it sends the message that Massachusetts doesn’t care much about its appearance. For a state that relies on tourist dollars to fuel a large portion of its economy, this makes little sense.

Charles River

Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River Will be Replaced

By |

The pedestrian bridge over the Charles River west of Watertown Square will be replaced by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bridge will be completely replaced so it will be accessible by people with disabilities, said Dan Driscoll, DCR’s Director of Recreation Facilities Planning and Design. “The current bridge does not meet ADA requirements,” Driscoll said. The new bridge will be a prefabricated one, but for a short time there will be no pedestrian access at that point in the river, Driscoll said. The project will be bid this fall, and work will be done in the spring of 2016, he said.

Around Town

Goats Providing Organic Poison Ivy Removal from Banks of Charles

By |

People running and walking along the Charles River in Watertown this week have gotten quiet a surprise – a herd of goats roaming the trees near the riverbank. Forty goats have been brought in this week by Goats to Go, which was hired by a Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) contractor, said farmer Alan Aulson. They have been attacking the poison ivy in the wooded area near the new Braille Trail, off Charles River Road, east of Watertown Square. “They were going to get the poison ivy done anyway, and this is a safe, environmentally quiet way to do it,” Aulson said. The goats love to munch on the weeds that are so bothersome to humans.

Around Town

See How the New Park Along the Charles River is Shaping Up

By |

The area along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square has a snazzy new look featuring places to sit, look over the river and to appreciated the natural surroundings. Travis Mazerall, the project designer from Sasaki Associates, recently led a tour of the park near the intersection of Charles River Road and Irving Street has been turned into place that can be enjoyed by everyone, including the blind and visually impaired. The path includes wires hung across posts every 20 feet, or so. “Some have indicator beads about the size of a fist, that tell the user what is around, such as if there is a bench across from it,” Mazerall said. The project is being built by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), but is funded by a mix of local non-profits, foundations and some money from the town.

Police/Fire

Find Out Why a Helicopter was Buzzing Around Watertown Friday

By |

A Massachusetts State Police helicopter joined the search for someone reportedly in the Charles River Friday night. “We got a report that someone fell or jumped into the river,” said Watertown Deputy Fire Chief Dan Tardiff. “We searched the river with State Police and with units on the shore. We didn’t find anyone.” Authorities got a report of someone who fell or jumped into the river after 7 p.m. Friday.

Environment

LETTER: What Watertown Needs to Know About Stormwater

By |

As Watertown reviews and finalizes the Comprehensive Plan, the Stormwater Advisory Committee would like to draw your attention to stormwater management in our community. The Charles River is recognized as a key asset to our community life, and the Plan recommends restoring other water assets, such as Sawins and Williams Ponds. For the Charles and the ponds, polluted stormwater is a major, ongoing cause of contamination. Stormwater comes from rainfall and snow melt — they sound so pure, don’t they? But in a town like Watertown, not enough stormwater soaks into the ground, which would filter and clean the water.