Around Town

Hear About Preserving a Historic Farmhouse at Historical Society Annual Meeting

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The following information was provided by the Historical Society of Watertown:

On Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 2 p.m. the Historical Society of Watertown will host a presentation about preserving a 300-year-old farmhouse. Prior to the presentation, the Historical Society will hold its annual meeting, including a vote on a proposed change to the group’s by-laws. The meeting and presentation will be held at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street, Watertown, in the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room. A slide show called “A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial” will also include a talk on the historic preservation of a 300-year-old farmhouse on the South Shore by Lee McColgan. The Historical Society provided the following description of the presentation:

Old houses share their secrets only if they survive.

Around Town

DPW Releases Results of Watertown’s Recycling Audit

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Department of Public Works:

The Watertown recycling audit has concluded after two weeks. Thank you to all who reached out with questions and engaged with this city program! Observation from the audit found that about 10 percent of each route contains recycling contamination. This means we still have work to do in the city to ensure that we are sending the correct materials to our Materials Recovery Facility, also known as a MRF. MRFs, like everything else, can only work efficiently with the materials that they are built to process.

Around Town

CPA Projects: Walker Pond, Pavilion & Historic House Repair Approved; Mount Auburn Cemetery Request Rejected

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Courtesy of the City of WatertownThe pavilion that will be built at Saltonstall Park. The City Council approved funding for an ecological study at Walker Pond, building a pavilion at Saltonstall Park, and to help repair Watertown’s oldest home. They rejected a proposal to restore a historic memorial at Mount Auburn Cemetery. The four projects were brought forward as recommendations from the Community Preservation Committee to be paid for using money from the Community Preservation Act funds. The dollars in the fund come from a local property tax surcharge and state matching funds, and can be used on historic preservation, open space/recreation, and affordable housing.

Around Town

Lowell School Hosting Microforest Community Info Party

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The following information was provided by Forests for Watertown:

This fall, everyone is invited to plant a Mini-Forest of baby trees in the Lowell Schoolyard using the “Miyawaki method.” Next spring, Community Garden plots will be built south of the forest. And we’ll plant a pollinator buffer to surround the forest. The Microforest Community Info Party will be on April 30, 6-8 p.m. at the Lowell School Cafeteria, 123 Lowell Ave., Watertown. Hear about the microforest project from Lowell Principal Stacy Phelan, City of Watertown Senior Environmental Planner Laurel Schwab, Trees for Watertown’s Libby Shaw, author Liza Ketchum, Judy Fallows / Marilyn Salvas from Watertown Community Gardens, and more.

Around Town

Beaverbook STEP Seeks Live-in Caregive – Live Rent Free in Watertown

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Beaverbrook STEP is seeking a live-in caregiver at their community living location in Watertown. See the information provided by Beaverbrook STEP below. We are looking for someone outgoing, caring, and friendly. A few of the tasks you would be responsible for include cleaning and cooking. It’s not all hard work, though, as we value a supportive and helpful community.

Around Town

LETTER: What Both Biotech Workers & High Schoolers Need — Housing

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In my role as a founder of CoLAB — a non-profit organization that connects Watertown students and biotech companies — I have had the unique opportunity to connect with two distinct groups, biotech business leaders and local high school students. For as many differences as there are between them, both groups share a primary concern: the housing crisis. For business leaders, it’s becoming more and more difficult to afford the costs associated with the housing crisis. For high school students, they face a future of deep uncertainty. Will they be able to remain in the city they love?