Around Town

Redesigning Watertown Square: Areas with Potential, Spots for Housing & Changing Roadways

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Urban planner Jeff Speck shows one of the possible new configurations of Watertown Square. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

While much of the discussion during the final presentation of the design charrette focused on the redesign of the main intersection in Watertown Square, the design consultants also looked at areas such as what people want to see in their downtown, where housing could be created, what properties could be redeveloped, and other roadways in the area that could be reconfigured. The consultants remarked on the high levels of participation the Watertown Square project drew, compared to similar design efforts in other communities. Urban designer Jeff Speck said that per capita, Watertown had four times higher turnout than other projects he has worked on. Over the three days, 230 people signed in to participate in at least one of the work sessions where they could hear from designers and give input on a variety of subjects.

Around Town

Watertown Fitness Studio Hosting Community Celebration Day

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The following information was provided by Fly Together:

Our Family at Fly Together would like to invite you to our Community Celebration Day. We are so thankful to have the support of neighbors and members like you and would love to bring everyone together at our ***WATERTOWN LOCATION*** (100 Parker St., Watertown MA) on Jan. 7th, 2024. Drop in anytime between 2:30-5:30 p.m. Gather with the Fly Together community for an afternoon of pole, performances, and fun! Bring a friend and show off your pole moves, spend time with the pole community, and enjoy light refreshments.

Around Town

OP-ED: Turning Watertown Square Daydreams Into a Long-Term Action Plan

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By Mark Pickering

The Watertown Square study process offers a once-in-a-generation chance to begin to make the changes that we only daydream about now. If we follow a long-term plan, we can transform the square into a place we can point to in pride a magnet for recreation, entertainment and congregating. What I have heard people saying during kitchen conversations, official presentations and workshops is that residents want the area to become more like Davis Square, Somerville. Perhaps not exactly like that bustling Somerville square, but more like that. So, I’d like to lay out some of the ideas that I’ve gotten from listening to others at various Watertown Square meetings.

Around Town

Boston Bruins Players Visit Watertown to Buy Toys for Kids

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Members of the Boston Bruins used some of their time off the ice to visit Target in Watertown to purchase toys to donate to children. Left wing Jake DeBrusk, forward Charlie Coyle, and goalie Jeremy Swayman scoured the aisles looking for items for children in local hospitals, according to the report by WBZ Radio. The toys were purchased with donations from the Bruins players as well as the Boston Bruins Foundation. Frequent shoppers at Target may have run into DeBrusk before, who said that he has been at the Watertown location multiple times to buy toys for kids. See the full WBZ Radio report by clicking here.

Around Town

December at the Senior Center: Music, Uber Safety, Make Flowers Arrangements and More

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Watertown Senior CenterThe Watertown Senior Center is ready for St. Patrick’s Day. See what’s going on at the Watertown Senior Center in December. The following items came from the December Watertown Senior News provided by the Department of Senior Services. Uber Safety Lesson with WPD, Monday, December 4, at 12 pm

Detective Grady and her colleagues from the Watertown Police Department will present a list of safety measures you should be aware of while using ride-sharing applications like Uber and Lyft.

Around Town

Watertown Square Ideas Include Rerouted Roadways, Shops on Expanded Delta, More Paths

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Residents look at the maps from the table work sessions in the Watertown Square Area Plan design charrette. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

After an intense two days of gathering input from the public and looking at different ways to improve how Watertown Square works, the City of Watertown’s consultants presented two ideas that would significantly change traffic patterns in the intersection, but would not have a rotary. The two main contenders for the new Watertown Square layout are known as “Four Corners” and “Mini Main Street.” Both ideas would significantly shrink the amount of space dedicated to roadways and would increase the size of the Delta and other green spaces, as well as provide parallel parking, wider sidewalks, bike accommodations, and easier bus connections, the consultants said Thursday night. On Wednesday, urban designer Jeff Speck presented three drawings, the Four Corners, Mini Main Street and also one known as the Deltabout, where traffic would flow counter clockwise around the Delta.