Police/Fire

Several Hundred Join the 2018 Watertown Finish Strong 5K Run and Walk

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Nearly 600 runners came out on a rainy Sunday morning to celebrate the Watertown Strong spirit inspired by the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombings and the capture of the bombing suspects in Watertown five years ago. The fourth annual Watertown Police Finish Strong 5K Run and Walk started and ended at Tufts Health Plan. Despite the poor conditions hundreds participated. Among those at the race this were Boston Marathon Bombing survivor Jeff Bauman and one of the people who helped injured people after the bombing, Carlos Arredondo. The race is run by the Watertown Police Relief Association, Watertown Supervisors Association and Watertown Patrol Officers Association.

Charles River

Watertown Group Removes Trash, Debris During Charles River Cleanup

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A group from the Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice made the Charles River a nicer place by removing all sorts of items from the waterway during the Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 28. The group removed garbage, debris and much more from the shore of the Charles River in Watertown near the Stop & Shop on Pleasant Street. “We had a great turnout,” said Sue Ellen Hershman-Tcherepin, president of Watertown Citizens. She added, “It is both one of the most depressing and one of the most exhilarating activities that brings our community together!” The group was one of dozens participating in the Charles River Cleanup on Saturday.

Bus Lanes

Traffic Patterns Changing to Speed Up Buses on Mt. Auburn St. During Pilot Program

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Some changes to traffic patterns on Mt. Auburn Street will be tested during a Bus Priority Pilot in effort to speed up buses on the roadway through Watertown and Cambridge. A community meeting will be May 1, 2018, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Tufts Health Plan (705 Mount Auburn St., Watertown) to discuss the Bus Priority Pilot, but Watertown Department of Public Works officials gave some details prior to the meeting. The pilot will test ways to get buses down Mt. Auburn Street faster, Shuman said, because so many people use public transit to commute.

Building for the Future

Costs for Elementary School Projects Much Higher Than Original Estimates

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The Watertown School Committee learned that the estimates for the elementary school building projects underestimated the costs by $50 million or more. 

The School Building Committee that oversees the Building for the Future school building projects heard a presentation from architects Ai3 earlier in April and part of the presentation focused on the cost. The estimate for rebuilding or renovating the three elementary schools would be $170 million to $180 million, School Committee Chairman John Portz said. The original cost range was $80 million to $120 million, Portz said, and Town Manager Michael Driscoll has committed the town to cover up to $120 million from the Town budget. That would mean residents would not be asked to pass an override, which would increase property taxes to pay for the project. Strategies for how to handle the increased costs have not yet been discussed, Portz said.

Arbor Day

Watertown Celebrates Arbor Day Outside Commander’s Mansion

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The sun came out Thursday for the Town’s annual Arbor Day Celebration at the Commander’s Mansion in the Watertown Arsenal. 

Attendees could visit tables of local organizations and businesses, or enjoy some of the activities for children. The event drew a number of youngsters, said Michelle Cokonougher, who coordinated the event on behalf of Trees for Watertown. “A whole class from Bright Horizons came over right at 11 (a.m.),” Cokonougher said. Arbor Day is an American holiday were people are encouraged to plant trees. In past years, the Tree Warden put together the Arbor Day event, but Watertown currently has no warden.

Around Town

Group From Watertown Joining Mother’s Day Walk for Peace

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The following information was provided by Watertown Walks for Peace:

Watertown once again has a team registered for the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace on Sunday, May 13 (Mothers’ Day). The Walk raises funds for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, a center for
healing, teaching and learning for families and communities impacted by murder,
grief, trauma and loss. The Walk started in 1996 so mothers of murdered children could receive support and love from their neighbors. Twenty-two years later, the Mother’s Day Walk continues to be a powerful way to honor loved ones who have been murdered and embrace partners in peacemaking. The walk starts at Fields Corner in Dorchester and ends at Boston City Hall, a route of 6.8 miles.

Real Estate

Plenty of Open Houses to Visit in Watertown This Weekend

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Homebuyers can visit nearly 20 open houses in Watertown this week. $519,900 – 17 Commonwealth Road Unit 1, 6 room, 2 bed, 1 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 1-3

$499,900 – 204 North Beacon St. Unit 204, 5 room, 2 bed, 1 bath 2/3 family, Open House: Saturday 12-2

$315,000 – 10 Williams Unit 41, 3 room, 1 bed, 1 bath high-rise, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$499,999 – 227 Coolidge Ave. Unit 212, 4 room, 2 bed, 1 bath garden, Open Houses: Saturday 12:30-2 Sunday 12:30-2

$499,900 – 43 Edenfield Ave. Unit 43, 4 room, 2 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse, Open House: Saturday 12-1:30

$529,900 – 91 Spring St.