Around Town

Christmas Trees Can be Dropped Off at Recycling Center

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The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:

Curbside collection will continue through Monday, January 22, 2024 but may be delayed due to weather conditions. We ask anyone who can drop off their tree, to do so. 

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is now offering Christmas tree drop off at the DPW during the month of January. There is a coned off area to the left of the DPW parking lot, as you drive in. Please remove all lights and decorations. Do NOT bag your tree. 

Drop off is always available at the Recycle Center, located at 76 Stanley Ave, as well. 

Entertainment

Closing Reception for Watertown’s Edible Plants Project, Opening Soon at New Location

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Edible Plants, Watertown’ a long-term interdisciplinary project that promotes awareness of our local environment through visual art and writing, will have a closing reception on Jan. 13, and will open at a new location on Jan. 26. The Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee provided the following information:

Edible Plants Closing Reception at TILL Wave Gallery

Saturday, January 13, 2-4 PM

TILL Wave Gallery264 Arlington Street, Watertown, MA 02472

Join us for the closing reception of Edible Plants at the TILL Wave Gallery before the show moves to the Mosesian Center for the Arts. Enjoy readings by Jordan Escobar, Patrick Fairbairn, and Ruth Henry with music by Justin Ouellette.

Around Town

Local Builder Helps Historical Society Repair One of Watertown’s Oldest Houses

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Photo by Charlie BreitroseThe Edmund Fowle House during a Treaty Day celebration. Submitted by Joyce Kelly & Marilynne Roach, Historical Society of Watertown

In November 2022 Patrick Mulroy, builder, remodeler, historic preservationist, and owner of ReModern Builders, contacted the Historical Society. Recently moved to Church Street in Watertown and wishing to become personally and professionally involved in the community, he offered us a donation of skilled labor from his carpenters. We met with Patrick at the Edmund Fowle House where we showed him a few projects that needed to be done but were on hold for lack of funds. He told us he was “excited to be able to not only donate to the upkeep of a historic resource, but participate in it as well.” (The Fowle House is on the National Register of Historic Places.) 

Patrick decided to take on the project of the side porch entrance door.

Around Town

KinderCare Opens New Learning Center in Watertown

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Inside a classroom at the KinderCare Learning Center at Arsenal Yards. (Courtesy of KinderCare)

The following announcement was provided by the KinderCare:

KinderCare Learning Centers is excited to announce the opening of a new child care center in Watertown. Arsenal Yards KinderCare is located at 501 Arsenal Street. The center will be led by Suzyann Miller, an educator with more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education. “I believe in empowering and being mindful in all situations, and I’m excited to be the new director for Arsenal Yard KinderCare,” said Miller.

Government

Sen. Brownsberger Seeks Input Through Online Gun Survey

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Wikimedia Commons / ChensiyuanMassachusetts State House. With the Massachusetts State Senate State to soon be taking up legislation on guns and firearms, Sen. Will Brownsberger seeks input via an online survey. Sen. Brownsberger sent out the following announcement:

Please take a few minutes to complete my survey on guns. The survey asks 26 true-false questions about feelings, opinions, and factual understandings on guns, gun violence, and gun laws. The survey is anonymous. We will be debating gun legislation in the senate sometime soon and I will also be inviting you to an open dialog about gun policy within the next week or two.  This survey will help define context for that dialog.  Your survey participation is important to me whether or not you plan to participate in that dialog.

Around Town

Residential Snow Shoveling Requirement Approved by Council

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Watertown residents will be required to clear snow and ice from sidewalks in front of their homes within 24 hours of the end of a storm after the City Council passed the amendment to the City’s Snow and Ice Removal Ordinance. Under the new rules, residents face a fine for repeatedly not clearing sidewalks, but those will not be levied during the current winter. The vote Tuesday night was 6-3, and came after more than two hours combined public input and discussion by Councilors. Residents against the proposal brought up concerns about how the new rules would be enforced, potential liability, and even whether people should be required to remove snow and ice from sidewalks, which are owned by the City. They added that most people do shovel their sidewalks, so they don’t see the need for new regulations.

Government

Watertown Health Department Moving to New Location

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As part of a plan to reorganize Watertown’s municipal departments, the Health Department will be moving out of City Hall. The Health Department will be one of the departments moving south of the Charles River to the Parker Annex building, formerly the Parker School. The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:

The Watertown Health Department is moving on February 1, 2024 to the Parker Annex at 124 Watertown Street, 3G, Watertown, MA 02472. They will still have the same phone number of 617-972-6446, all of the same contact information, and the same webpage. See the google map and get directions.