Letters

LETTER: Former Recreation Director Recommends Changes to Victory Field Phase 2 Plan

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(The following letter was send to the City Council before its meeting on June 24, 2025)

Watertown Leadership,

I hope each of you are well and finding a cool space today. I am expecting the Victory funding to be supported tonight and are hopeful that all the alternates are approved. It is obvious to some of us and will be for the rest of you when Phase II is completed that the Phase II AD HOC plan is lacking in key amenities and / or ignored the core needs of this section of the Victory Field Complex which were clearly identified in the 2014 plan. Not including additional parking (32 spots), including busses, a larger circle for better circulation, a plan to solve the Title IX issue of the field house, ADA violation of the elevator and press box accessibility. Wi-Fi, cameras, phone coverage extenders, appropriately size and located storage units and an artificial turf field is a monumental failure and those responsible for their choice have not acted in the best interest of our residents.

Letters

LETTER: Watertown Should be Proactive, Ban Pet Shops from Selling Commercially Bred Animals

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Currently, Watertown does not have pet shops open for business. However, the large number of new commercial buildings, many with retail space, might be a viable option for a pet shop chain. We are encouraging the city to be proactive and be certain a shop that sells animals cannot open in Watertown. Recently, the City Council asked the Administration to propose policy guidance or an ordinance on limiting pet shop operations. Animal shelters in Massachusetts and nationally are at capacity with dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, rabbits, guinea pigs and other unwanted pets.

Around Town

City’s Next Watertown Chats Focusing on Coolidge Square

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The next Watertown Chats will take place on Friday in East Watertown. See details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Come Discover Coolidge Square and visit Watertown Chats on Friday, June 27 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Sullivan Park on the corner of Mount Auburn Street and Arlington Street! Join and connect with Community Engagement Specialist, Tyler Cote, and Senior Planner for Economic Development, Erin Rathe to ask questions about the City, learn about happenings around Watertown, get an update on the Mount Auburn Street Project, and receive resources about Coolidge Square! Learn more at watertown-ma.gov/chats

Around Town

City of Watertown Seeks Artists for “A Pleasant Landscape” Banner Project

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Watertown is excited to announce an open call to artists for its “A Pleasant Landscape” banner project, aimed at beautifying the fence screen at the former Sterritt Lumber site located at 138 Waltham Street. This initiative seeks to enhance the visual appeal of the area for local residents, visitors, and passersby. The project invites artists to submit digital designs that will be printed on 6×12 foot banners. Up to six selected artists will receive a $400 award for their design, which will then be professionally printed and installed by the City of Watertown. Interested artists may apply online through the city website.

Letters

LETTER to City Manager About North Branch Library

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An Open Letter to George Proakis

Dear George,

It is the beginnings of some very lean financial times for Watertown, and one would hope that the City’s selected capital projects would be carefully chosen to reflect these times. In your proposed (now approved) FY26 budget, you listed one and a half million dollars to renovate the North Branch Library. No purpose for the building had been stated. Apparently, that would be determined later, cart before the horse style. In the course of the discussions about the North Branch Library, you noted that you had had an engineering study done to see the feasibility of spending money to do these repairs, and that the study had been quite favorable.

Obituaries

OBIT: Cheryl Larsen, 76, Lifelong Watertown Resident, Teacher

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Cheryl Ann Larsen

A funeral service for Cheryl Ann Larsen will be held on Tuesday June 24, 2025, at 9:30 AM the MacDonald Rockwell & MacDonald Funeral Home, Watertown. Cheryl was born in Boston to the late Kenneth Edward & Mary F. (Wheeler) Larsen. She passed away after a battle with cancer on Wednesday June 18, 2025, at the age of 76. Cheryl was a life time resident of Watertown. Born and raised then she resided there in her adult life. Being the oldest of 4, cheryl spent a lot of time with her siblings until going to college where she got a bachelors in education.

Around Town

Public Hearing Scheduled Ahead of Watertown’s Cable License Renewal with Comcast

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Cable Access Corp.:

Watertown Cable Access Corp (WCA-TV) and the City of Watertown will be holding a Public Ascertainment Hearing on Tuesday, July 22nd at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. This hearing will take place in advance of formal negotiations with Comcast regarding the renewal of the city’s 10-year cable license, which is set to expire in October 2025. Comcast, City officials, and WCA-TV’s Board of Directors will be present to hear from the public and gather feedback on the following topics: 

Comcast’s compliance with its currently existing cable license

The city’s future needs related to cable access

The impact of WCA-TV and why local television is such a vital resource for the city

Why This Matters:

A cable license is important because it delivers programming to cable TV subscribers, offers free cable TV connections to the city, schools, and community locations, and provides essential community media funding support. For WCA-TV, cable funding makes up about 98% of their annual revenue, which is the case for many other community media stations across the country. Without a cable license, community media stations would cease to exist.

Letters

OP-ED: Impacts of Cuts to Federal Funding of Science Research

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By Kristen DeAngelisProfessor of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst & Watertown High School Class of 1993

I joined the Watertown High School Biology Club for the same reason everyone else did: the week-long scuba diving field trip to Bonaire. Never mind that I couldn’t clear my ears at the bottom of the pool, failing my initial scuba test. I went anyway, with my snorkeling gear. We spent hours identifying fish in their coral reef habitats and swimming at pristine beaches. But I also got to see a scientist, my high school biology teacher, Mr. Buckley, in action: collecting specimens, leading discussions on how reef systems work, and giving research presentations to the locals in exchange for our club to get a sunset ride on their catamaran. 

Today, as a research scientist and professor at UMass Amherst, I have a renewed appreciation for programs like our Biology Club and how critical they are to young people’s futures.