Around Town

Save the Date for the Next Watertown Square Area Plan Meeting

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

Save the Date: The Joint Hearing to discuss the Watertown Square Area Plan will continue on June 27, 2024 at 6pm in the Watertown Middle School Auditorium at 68 Waverley Avenue in Watertown. This is a continuation of the Joint Hearing held on June 13 in the same location. We encourage everyone to visit the project website to learn more, and to access the plan document (PDF). This Hearing will be a hybrid meeting, meaning you have the opportunity to join virtually on Zoom or in-person. You will also be able to watch the Hearing live online on WCA-TV.

Around Town

MBTA Announces Service Plans for Friday’s Celtics Parade

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The following information was provided by MassDOT:

To accommodate parade attendees heading to the 2024 Boston Celtics Championship “Rolling Rally” victory parade, the MBTA will operate enhanced service on Friday, June 21, 2024. To accommodate higher-than-normal ridership, the MBTA will operate increased subway service and modified Commuter Rail schedules with additional train times before and after the parade. Riders are strongly encouraged to purchase roundtrip fares in advance. Due to expected crowds, additional MBTA staff, MBTA Transit Navigation Crew volunteers, Transit Ambassadors, Keolis personnel, and Transit Police will be deployed throughout the system to assist with safety, wayfinding, boarding, paying for fares, and schedule information. Riders can find more information on MBTA service, parking, paying fares, and more at mbta.com/Celtics. 

“Friday will be a busy but joyous day as we all celebrate the Boston Celtics’ 18th Championship victory.

Around Town

Community Preservation Committee Accepting Applications, Find Out How Apply

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The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

Interested in applying for CPA funds? Your first step is to complete a Project Eligibility Form to determine if your project is eligible for CPA funding. Project Eligibility Forms are due July 29, 2024. 

Sign up for CPA Clinic Hours  Learn how to turn a good idea into a successful project. If you have a notion for a project on city-owned property, get connected to the right city departments for permission and support. Find answers to all your questions about the application process and forms. 

Schedule an appointment during CPA Clinic Hours, listed below, for a phone call or in-person meeting:

June 21, 2023: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

July 6, 2023: 10:30-12 p.m.

July 10, 2023: 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Read the application instructions here. Contact Lanae Handy, Community Preservation Coordinator at lhandy@watertown-ma.gov or visit watertown-ma.gov for more information.

Around Town

OP-ED: Reflections on the First Watertown Square Plan Hearing

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Part 1: Thomas Jefferson: “That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”

At last Thursday night’s Joint Hearing of the City Council and the Planning Board, the purpose was to gather community information and evaluate the Watertown Square Area Plan. According to Watertown News: “A large group of people supported the plan…” and “A significant number of people spoke out against parts of the project.”

This description is both brief and accurate. Many Watertown residents went to the podium to announce their “strong support” for this plan and/or to support it with the caveat that they’d like even more density. One by one, community members, finding no reason to look deeper into this plan, went up to the podium and started their comments with a cookie-cutter like “I strongly support this plan” and “I don’t think it goes far enough.”

They’d be a bit more convincing if some residents who agreed with this position hadn’t chosen to hold up their middle fingers and hiss behind the backs of those people who had more substantive and nuanced questions to be answered. Every Watertown resident is entitled to be heard, without such disrespectful antics.

Around Town

Watertown Farmers Market Will be Open on Wednesday

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The Watertown Farmers Market will be open this Wednesday. The City of Watertown sent out the following information:

The Market is OPEN on June 19th! Thanks to our fans and all who came by to celebrate our Opening Day last week ~ we hit a record close to 1,000 people visiting the market! 

Just in time for summer’s official start, you can find lots of fun and flavorful fruits and veggies, fantastic baked goods, sustainable seafood and meat, and so much more at this week’s market! 

Please note that due to the high temperatures predicted, we will not have our weekly artisan or musician attending this week. 

Watertown Farmers’ MarketWednesdays 2:30 – 6:30 pm(6:00pm close in October)June 12 – October 23, 2024Rain or ShineSaltonstall ParkCorner of Main St. & Whites Ave. (next to City Hall, 149 Main Street)

Providing access to farm fresh and specialty foods, supporting local agriculture and businesses, addressing food insecurity, building community, and promoting healthy and sustainable living. See more details about this week’s market by clicking here.

Police/Fire

UPDATED: Statewide 911 Outage Over

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UPDATE: The Massachusetts 911 system has been restored. The public may now resume calling 911 for emergencies. Thank you for your patience + cooperation. 

The State 911 Department continues to investigate the cause of the disruption. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Fire and Police departments regarding issues with 911 service:

There is a statewide 911 outage. To reach Watertown Fire or Police please call 617-972-6500 or pull one of the 300+ red fire boxes throughout the city.

Entertainment

Watertown Gallery Holding Book Launch Pop-Up This Week

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Screenshot

The following announcement was provided by Storefront Art Projects:

A Book Launch POP-UP June 20-22

Join us Friday, June 21, from 6-8 p.m.  for the official book-launch for Eric Giroux’s novel Zodiac Pets! 

Author reading at 7 p.m.

Book sale and seltzer throughout. In his follow-up to the award-winning Ring On Deli, Eric returns to the hard-luck hamlet of Pennacook, Massachusetts, where misfit Wendy Zhou confronts dark forces aiming to buy the town and plunk a giant dome over it. Also showing: paintings by Jasmine Chen

Gallery Hours: this Thursday and Saturday 1 – 4 p.m.  AND this Friday, June 21, from 6-8 p.m.

The gallery is located at 83 Spring St., Watertown. Find out more at storefrontartprojects.com 

Around Town

Places in Watertown to Stay Cool During the Heat Wave

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Children enjoy the new spray pad at Filippello Park in East Watertown. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The City of Watertown provided the following tips about how to keep cool in this week’s heat wave:

As the first heat wave of the season approaches, here are some places to help you stay cool through Sunday, 23, 2024:

The Filippello Park Spray Pad, located between Arlington and Grove Streets, is open daily from 9:15 a.m.-8:15 p.m. all summer. The Watertown Free Public Library, at 123 Main Street, is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m-5 p.m. The Library will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The DCR Pool, located at 138 Pleasant Street, is scheduled to be open on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 11:15 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. It will be open daily through Sunday, August 18, 2024. See information about the pool.