Letters

LETTER: Consider the Neighbors When Lighting Victory Field

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For many the twilight and evening hours are special – a time to relax, unwind, draw closer to loved ones and friends, measure thoughts against the gathering night. But for hundreds of households in the vicinity of Watertown’s Victory Field, ours among them, such simple pleasures have become more elusive in recent years due to the nightly incursion of distressingly bright glare from the lights on the field. Sports have been played under the lights at Victory Field since the days of the old Watertown Twilight Baseball League back in the 1930s and for most of the 80 years since with little if any neighborhood disturbance or injury. But in 2011-12 the Phase One renovation of the baseball and football field introduced lighting of a much greater magnitude on 80 foot poles that so altered and affected our daily lives and routines it soon became a constant source of community ire and outcry. And from which there is no respite since they are left blazing every evening until 10:15 or 10:30 p.m. most of the year REGARDLESS of whether there is a game to light on the field.

Around Town

OP-ED: Library’s Girls Who Code Program Addresses Important Need

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Eight months ago my wife and I welcomed our daughter, Harriet, to the world. She has filled our suddenly sleepless lives with so much joy—and with some anxiety too. Like most parents, my wife and I worry about whether we can give our daughter all the tools she’ll need to lead a fulfilling life. Whether Harriet becomes a car mechanic, a small business owner, or a college professor, she is going to need a basic literacy in computer programming. Fluency in computer languages like HTML and CSS will soon be the low bar for employment in many industries.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Worries About Lead Contained in Artificial Turf

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(The following was presented to the Town Council on Sept. 26)

So, we need more artificial turf for our kids. Really?According to the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Mayo Clinic, there is NO safe level of lead, especially for children. A child’s brain and nervous system are in the process of developing. Biologically, even high school athletes are still children.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Concerned About Health Risks From Artificial Turf

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I begin these comments with the central point of my message. I am opposed to artificial turf playing fields, chiefly for health reasons. I believe that mounting evidence demonstrates that the plastic blades, the crumb rubber infill, and other additives contain hazardous chemicals and heavy metals that are especially harmful to children and to adults with compromised immune systems.

Our current artificial turf field is going on six years old, with a realistic total life expectancy of eight to ten years. As with all such fields, it is naturally degrading due to weather and normal usage. The stress of sun, heat, cold, rain, and snow, along with the pounding of feet and bodies break down the plastic and rubber, creating dust and vapor that are released into the air and can be inhaled, ingested, and absorbed into the skin.

Elections

LETTER: Councilor At-Large Seeks Re-election to Second Term

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Dear neighbors,

I am currently in my first term as a Watertown Councilor At-Large. Throughout
the past two years, I have worked to create positive outcomes for residents
through my involvement advocating for school building improvements, open
space, housing affordability, and increased transparency. During this period, the residential exemption was increased for homeowners for
the first time in fifteen years, as were affordable housing and LEED sustainability
requirements for many new development projects. Members of police and fire
departments are now both carrying Narcan, and several new town positions were
created and funded in the recent budget for Recreation, the Library’s Hatch, and
wellness services. The town has a new ambulance, which accommodates the
recently implemented Advanced Life Services (ALS) program.

Letters

LETTER: Resident Wants to Draw the Line & Preserve Green Areas at Victory Field

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I remember once reading a critique of biological conservation in Japan. Conservation policy favored compromise: a development would be proposed, it would be opposed due to adverse environmental impacts, and the outcome typically permitted some of the development to proceed, at some cost to environmental quality. This incremental increase of both development and its resulting degradation of environmental assets had worked well to diffuse contention in a populous nation that prized social harmony. Developers got less than they bargained for, conservationists reduced the damage to natural resources. But such a policy was beginning to expose its flaw – the environment we share with all people and other species is a finite resource, and human activity can threaten the very survival of its values.

Around Town

LETTER: Library’s Hatch Makerspace Has New Home, New Coordinator

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Nearly three years ago, the Watertown Free Public Library hosted a DIY Halloween Costume Bootcamp in a retail space at the Arsenal Mall, marking the opening of Watertown’s first public makerspace, Hatch. Since then, Hatch has flourished with programs, events, and, most importantly, a growing community of makers. Fast-forward to today, and Hatch has moved into its new space at the Residence at Watertown Square, hired a full-time coordinator [Liz Helfer], built up a dynamic group of volunteers and encouraged creativity among its users. Library staff have worked hard to bring this opportunity to the community, but the work would have never happened were it not for a network of generous organizations and people. First on the list is the Arsenal Project who hosted Hatch, rent and utility free, since October 2014.

Elections

LETTER: Town Councilor At-Large Candidate Seeks to Continue Serving the Community

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To the Editor:

Whether you have lived here your whole life, you moved here years ago or you are new to town, I think we can all agree that Watertown is a special place. 

Growing up, my parents were always very involved in Watertown with organizations such as the PTO, youth sports and events such as the town-wide raffle. At an early age, they instilled in me and my siblings the importance of giving back to the community. I can remember countless Sunday mornings cleaning up the Watertown Boys and Girls Club after Saturday night bingo to help support Watertown Youth Soccer. I attended kindergarten at the Hosmer School and completed my elementary school education at the Cunniff School. After finishing eighth grade at the Watertown Middle School, I attended Boston College High School before graduating from Wake Forest University.