Environment

Solar Panel Requirement for New Buildings Supported by Council Subcommittee

By |

New developments in Watertown would have to put up a solar energy system if the zoning amendment heard by a Town Council subcommittee is adopted by the full Town Council. Watertown would become the first community in Massachusetts to require solar energy systems on new developments, Ed Lewis, the Town’s Energy Manager, told the Economic Development and Planning Committee Tuesday night. Other communities and the state has come up with proposed ordinances, but none has enacted them, Lewis said. Town Councilor Vincent Piccirilli said it is nice to be leading the way. “I’m excited to be the first in the state to require solar on buildings,” Piccirilli said.

Police/Fire

Boy Struck by SUV While Heading to Cunniff School, Suffers Minor Injuries

By |

An 11-year-old boy suffered minor injuries when he was struck by an SUV while on the way to Cunniff School on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred on Highland Street at Copeland Street at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, according to Watertown Police Lt. James O’Connor. The incident was witnessed by the boy’s sister. The boy was either riding or walking his bicycle across the street when a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading eastbound struck him. “The child was transported to Children’s Hospital Boston with minor injuries,” O’Connor said.

Arsenal Mall

Opinions Split Over Taller Tower Request by Developers of Arsenal Yards

By |

The developers of the Arsenal Mall renovation got a mix of opinions Monday night about their request to build a tower even higher than the 130-foot limit in Watertown’s Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD). Watertown residents packed a room at the Arsenal Mall, a short distance from where developers of Arsenal Yards would like to put up Building G, a 197-foot condominium tower. Boylston Properties, the developer of the property, has submitted an amendment for the Town to consider which would increase the maximum height of the RMUD — located around the eastern end of Arsenal Street — by 67 feet. The people speaking in opposition to the height increase outnumbered those who like the idea of a taller tower. Why Taller?

Basketball

Watertown’s John Korte Named North Basketball Player of the Year

By |

Watertown High School senior John Korte collected another accolade on Sunday when he was named the North Boys Basketball Player of the Year by the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association. The MBCA players of the year are named in each section (North, South, Central and West) for both boys and girls. The honorees are selected from players from all divisions. Watertown competes in MIAA’s Div. 3.

Around Town

Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Construction Schedule Announced

By |

The last section of the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway, a bike and pedestrian path, will begin construction in late summer or early fall. 

A letter sent out by Leo Roy, commissioner of the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), announced that the project will begin soon, and will create 1.25 miles of path along the former Boston & Maine Railroad tracks between Arlington Street/Nichols Avenue/Crawford Street intersection in Watertown and the entrance to the Cambridge Water Department at Fresh Pond. It will connect to the section already completed from Arlington Street to School Street in Watertown which is also referred to as the Community Path. “The trail will offer additional opportunities for transportation and passive and active recreation and physical activity, while promoting community and economic growth through increased connectivity,” Roy wrote. “The multi-use Greenway will provide an important regional connection linking the Charles River Path system, the Minuteman Bikeway, the Alewife Greenway and the Mystic River Reservation into an interconnected off-road pathway network.” The new section of the path will be 12 foot wide paved trail with two foot wide grass strips along both sides, according to the letter.

Around Town

Hundreds Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Watertown Senior Center

By |

In the early 1990s, having a place for seniors in Watertown to call their own and run activities aimed at older adults was just a dream, but that changed 25 years ago. On Friday, the Watertown Senior Center’s anniversary celebration was so large even the center on Marshall Street could not hold all those wanting to join in the fun. 

Most years, the Senior Center’s birthday celebration draws 90-100 people, but for the 25th anniversary nearly double that amount filled 20 tables at Hibernian Hall. The Celebration included lunch, a raffle and dancing to music from the Phil Cefalo Band. The Senior Center’s own Mellowtones also performed. The ground breaking for the Watertown Senior Center took place on June 11, 1993.

Environment

Teens Spending the Summer Mapping & Indentifying Watertown’s Street Trees

By |

A group of about a dozen teens from Watertown will fan out around town this summer to find out where the street trees are, and where they could be planted. The Teens for Trees program started last summer, when half a dozen students learned about trees, met with experts and combed the streets of Watertown to find trees in need of help. This year the students will be more focused, said program coordinator David Meshoulam, who said the teens will be mapping street trees in Watertown to create an inventory. “There were 4,000-5,000 trees when the last inventory was done in 2008,” Meshoulam said. “A lot has happened since that time: a lot of development, a lot of trees have been taken down and a lot have been planted.”

Police/Fire

Police Log: Packages Stolen from Apartment Building, Woman Busted for Break Ins

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest
June 5, 7:08 p.m.: A woman wanted for breaking into to two halves of a two-family home on May 28 was arrested by Watertown Police. The woman was spotted by a man living in the downstairs unit when she was walking through his living room. Then she was seen by the upstairs resident taking a tool bag from his home. Later that day she was seen carrying two white milk crates full of  sporting equipment.