Development

LETTER: East End Resident’s Property Negatively Impacted by Excavation for Project Next Door

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Neighbors of the project at 71 Salisbury Road say the excavation has impacted their properties, and they did not receive notice. The following statement was presented to the Watertown Town Council on Jan. 22, 2019:

My wife and I bought a small house in Watertown 8 years ago and we have begun our family there. We love being in Watertown and intend to continue as a part of the community we have found here. In the past week a developer has begun construction on the lot abutting ours. They are constructing a spec house in place of the previous house which was razed 3 years ago when they acquired the land. This new house is to be put on the market as soon as it is completed. The developer delayed construction these years as they sought a solution to squeeze a two-family structure on the small lot but apparently decided that pursuing a special permit would invite too much push back.  

Now they have pulled a permit for construction ‘by right’ and as a first step have undertaken blasting away the large rock ledge upon which the old house was constructed. They have continued this excavation into a second week using two earth moving machines, one to blast the rock and one to scoop it into a line of waiting dump trucks, right up to the property lines on all sides. The grade has been lowered significantly across the entire parcel such that at my property line there is now a shear face of exposed soil and bedrock where the incline which used to continue from our property into theirs has been blasted away. 

As a result two mature maple trees on our property have had their roots exposed and torn away. No attempt whatsoever was made to protect these trees even though doing so would pose no impediment to the construction of the house which they have permitted. Only willful disregard for the impact on neighbors property and desire to remove as much of the existing topography as possible has led to the damaging of these trees.  

Roots of trees on properties abutting 71 Salisbury Road have been damaged by the excavation on the site.

Obituaries

OBIT: Loretta Barba, 93, Raised Family in Watertown, Married More than 50 Years

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Loretta Barba

Loretta Marie (Menelly) Barba of Watertown died on Jan. 22, 2019, at the age of 93. Beloved wife for 56 years of the late Michael V. Barba. Devoted mother of Janet B. Brown and her husband Richard of Gardner; Sandra Pacheco and her husband John of Washington, D.C.; Paul G. Barba and his wife Maureen of Gardner; Diane E. Neylon and her husband John and Richard J. Barba and his wife Theresa, all of Watertown; Vincent J. Barba and his wife Judi of Franklin; and the late Michael V. Barba, Jr.

Dear sister of the late Robert Menelly and his wife Carmen and Philip Menelly and his wife Connie. Also loved by 25 grandchildren (including the late Benjamin & Michael Pacheco) and 13 great-grandchildren.

Letters

OP-ED: Citizen Group Critical of Slow Roll Out of Watertown Shuttle

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The following piece came from the Watertown Transportation Task Force:

The Watertown Transportation Task Force (WTTF) today released a report on the status of proposed shuttle buses for Pleasant Street and Arsenal Street, titled, “Shuttle Buses for Arsenal and Pleasant Streets: What’s Happened, What Hasn’t, Why?” The report is critical of the lack of progress made to date and recommends changes the Town should make going forward. The Task Force report describes the efforts to get shuttle buses running along Pleasant Street to Watertown Square and along Arsenal Street to a mass transit station. It recommends that the Town should fully enforce special permit conditions which require “proportionate financial participation” by developers to fund effective TMA shuttle operations. The WTTF has strongly advocated for shuttle service, but the report also proposes that Town funds should not go to any shuttle program until (1) a realistic multi-year financial analysis forecasts the budget for shuttle operations on each corridor and estimates any budget shortfall due to inadequate private funding, and (2) strong pre-conditions are set for all Town contributions to a shuttle program. The concept for the shuttles was that a Watertown Transportation Management Association (known as a TMA) would be created to implement transportation demand management programs for large new developments along these corridors which would include shuttle busses.

Around Town

Funds Available for Groups Working to Make Watertown a Place Where Older Adults Can Thrive

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The following announcement was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

The Marshall Home Fund is encouraging public and non-profit organizations to submit innovative proposals to support Watertown’s efforts to be an Age-Friendly Community — a place where older adults can live, thrive, and contribute. While proposals addressing various topics are welcomed, the fund is particularly interested in projects addressing unmet needs in housing, transportation, and communication about services available to older people. The Request for Proposals will be available on February 8, 2019 and proposals will be due March 15. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the Program Grant Information Session on February 8, 12:30-2:00 p.m. at the WSB Room in the Watertown Public Library and to visit marshallhomefund.org. To RSVP to the Information Session and for additional information, contact info@marshallhomefund.org

Around Town

Recreation Department Offering Sports, Crafts, Snowshoeing & More This Winter

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The Watertown Recreation Department announced that residents can register for the Winter Program II, including sports for youth and adults, music, snowshoeing, crafts and Bruins tickets. Links are available

Wrestling Program: Grades 1-8, ongoing to February 14, Wednesdays or Thursdays, 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Music Instrument Lessons: Grades K-12, ongoing to June 14, Mondays – Fridays, 2:30 pm-7:00 pm

Middle School Fun & Game Night: Grades, 6-8 ongoing to April 5, Fridays, 6:30 pm-9:00 pm

Men’s Basketball Open Gym: Adults over 30, ongoing to May 19, Sundays 8:30 am-10:30 am

Community Sports and Games: Ages 5 – Adult, January 6 – April 7, Sundays, 2:00 pm-7:00 pm

Wachusett Mountain Ski-Board Program: Grades 6-12, January 12 – February 16, Saturdays, 4:00 pm-11:00 pm

Gentle Yoga with a Chair at Artemis Studio: Adults Over 55, January 16 – March 6, Wednesdays, 11:00 am-12:00 pm

Kids’ Yoga & Mindfulness at Artemis Studio: Grades K-2, January 23 – March 20, Wednesdays, 3:30 pm-4:15 pm

Kids’ Yoga & Mindfulness at Artemis Studio: Grades 3-5, January 23 – March 20, Wednesdays, 4:30 pm-5:30 pm

Yoga & Mindfulness for Middle Schoolers at Artemis Studio: Grades 6-8, January 24, Thursdays, 4:00 pm-5:00 pm

All Sports Program: Grades 3-5, January 28 – March 29, Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays, 2:30 pm-3:30 pm

Junior Creative Crafts: Grades PreK-2, January 28 – March 29, Mondays – Fridays, 2:30 pm-3:30 pm

Cops & Rec Girls Futsal Soccer: Grades 6-8, January 29 – March 26, Tuesdays, 3:00 pm-4:30 pm 

Pre-Kindergarten Indoor Sports: Ages 3-5, January 29 – March 27, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 10:00 am-11:00 am

Junior All Sports Program: Grades K-2, January 29 – March 28, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, 2:30 pm-3:30 pm

Cops & Rec Boys Futsal Soccer: Grades 6-8, January 31 – March 28, Thursdays, 3:00 pm-4:30 pm

Open Forum Meeting: February 5, Tuesday, 7:00pm-8:00pm; Permit & Facilities Meeting at 8:00 pm-9:00 pm

Trampoline Dodgeball: Grades 3-12, February 5 – April 2, Tuesdays, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Launch Laser Tag: Grades 3-8, February 6 – April 4, Wednesdays, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Launch Laser Tag for Adults: Adults & High School, February 7 – April 4, Thursdays, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Boston Bruins vs. Colorado: February 10t, Sunday, 3:00 pm

February Vacation Program: Grades 1-8, February 19 – February 22, Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 am-5:30 pm

Community Snowshoeing: Watertown residents only, February 23, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm

Mini Creative Crafts: Grade PreK-2, March 2 – April 6, Saturdays, 9:00 am-11:15 am

Super Saturday Sports: Grade Pre K-5, March 2 – April 6, Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:45 pm

Boston Bruins vs. New Jersey: March 2, Saturday, 7:00 pm

Open Forum Meeting: March 5, Tuesday, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm; Permit & Facilities at 8:00 pm-9:00 pm

Open Forum Meeting: April 2, Tuesday, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm

April Vacation Program: Grades 1-8, April 16 – April 19, Tuesday-Friday, 7:30 am-5:30 pm

Government

State Rep. Hecht to Meet With Residents Twice in Coming Weeks

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State Rep. Jonathan Hecht

The following information was provided by Rep. Hecht’s office:

Representative Jonathan Hecht will hold office hours twice in Watertown in the upcoming weeks. Constituents are invited to meet with Representative Hecht at the following time and location:

Thursday, January 31, 5:00-6:00 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St, Raya Stern Trustees Room

Thursday, February 7, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Watertown Town Hall, 149 Main St, 3rd Floor hallway

Anyone unable to attend these office hours can call Representative Hecht at 617-722-2140 to schedule an appointment at another time.

Around Town

Event at Library Focuses on African Americans’ Experience in Mass. in the Past and Today

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The latest event in the Watertown Free Public Library’s Democracy Talks series will focus on The African American Trail Project. The event will be held Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank Room. The Library provided the following information:

The African American Trail Project is a city-wide organizational network and community-based archive that maps African American and African-descended public history sites across greater Boston. Housed at Tufts University, the project aims to develop African American historical memory and intergenerational connections through research, exhibits, and community engagement.

Arts

Two Watertown Musicians Playing in Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Opera ‘La Boheme’

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The following announcement was provided by the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra:

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO), internationally recognized youth musical organization, will bring to life a full opera once again! Two musicians from Watertown will be part of this year’s performance. On Sunday, Jan. 27, BYSO will perform its 12th consecutive, full-length opera in Sanders Theatre at Harvard University and continues to be the only youth orchestra in the U.S. to do so. Under the leadership of BYSO Music Director, Federico Cortese, the Boston Youth Symphony, BYSO’s premier orchestra will perform Puccini’s emotional and masterful La Bohème as part of its 2018-2019 Season.