Around Town

Watertown City Hall, Senior Center & Library Closings This Weekend

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown City Hall

Hours at some of Watertown’s municipal buildings will be impacted by Good Friday, Easter and Patriots Day. The City of Watertown sent out an announcement saying that City Hall and the Senior Center will close at 1 p.m. on April 15 in observance of Good Friday. Both buildings will be closed on Monday, April 18 for Patriots Day. The Watertown Free Public Library will be closed on Sunday, April 17 for Easter, and on Monday, April 18 for Patriots Day.

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Watertown Art Teacher Offering Classes on Watercolor Cards and Painting

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“The Wayside Inn” by Audrey Jones Childs. Watertown artist Audrey Jones Childs announced she will be hold two watercolor workshops, a one-day card class and a six-week watercolor painting class. The workshops will be held at the Beech Street Center/Belmont Council on Aging, 266 Beech St., Belmont, MA 02478. To register call 617-993-2970. See class descriptions below:

Watercolor Card WorkshopFriday 5/7/22 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Fee $5.00 plus card stock

Celebrate Spring . Make a watercolor Spring Card for yourself or to give to a loved one. No previous experience is necessary. Some watercolor supplies will be available. If you have your own please bring them. Even if you never have painted before, the steps are easy. Come prepared to have fun. 

Registration fee: $5.00 + $1.00 per card w/ envelope (If possible, bring your own watercolor paint and brushes.)

Watercolor Painting ClassFridays 5/13/22 – 6/17/22 (six weeks) 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM  Fee: $60.00 

A supply list will be provided ahead of the first class.

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Finalists Named in Watertown Library Director Search, Public Interviews Scheduled

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Watertown Free Public LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

The Board of Trustees of the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) began searching for a new library director earlier this year, following the retirement of Leone Cole, who had served in that role for 27 years. The Trustees initiated this search in January with the help of Bernard Lynch of Community Paradigm Associates. After receiving 15 applications, the Preliminary Screening Committee selected five candidates to interview last month. That pool was then narrowed down to three finalists who were recommended to the Trustees.

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Watertown Group Joins Other Tree Advocates to Stop Loss of Urban Tree Canopies

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Tree advocacy groups from across the region met together for the first time on March 31st. Such groups
support planting of hundreds of trees each year such as this one recently planted at the Lowell School in Watertown. The following piece was provided by Trees for Watertown:

On March 31st, tree advocacy organizations from nine cities and towns throughout Eastern Massachusetts came together for the first time to discuss ways to reverse the concerning loss of protective urban tree canopy in our region. Organizations joined the conversation from larger cities such as Newton, Medford and Arlington, mid- sized cities such as Watertown, Lexington and Wellesley, and the smaller towns including Bedford, Weston, Maynard, and Groton. A representative from Boston’s tree advocacy organization Speaks for the Trees Boston was also present.

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Virtual Fair Housing Month Workshop to be Hosted by West Metro HOME Consortium

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The following information was provided by WestMetro HOME Consortium:

The WestMetro HOME Consortium, which includes Watertown, is partnering with the Suffolk School of Law Housing Discrimination Testing Program to host a Fair Housing Webinar on April 26, 2022.  

With April being Fair Housing Month, this free webinar is an excellent opportunity for elected officials, municipal staff, property managers, landlords, tenants, and community members to learn about the history of Fair Housing, its impact today, and ways to mitigate implicit bias.  

It will be held on April 26, 2022 from 3:00–5:00 p.m. Webinar Registration – Zoom. There is more information about the webinar and fair housing on a webpage maintained by the City of Newton, which leads the WestMetro HOME Consortium.

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Watertown Woman Running Marathon for YMCA of Greater Boston

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The following announcement was provided by the YMCA of Greater Boston:

Linda Asadoorian of Watertown will be running the 2022 Boston Marathon as a member of the YMCA of Greater Boston’s marathon team. Asadoorian will be raising money to support the YMCA of Greater Boston’s teen programs, such as the Achievers program, Youth and Government and Leaders Club. Teens count on the Y for academic assistance, employment, life skills advancement and healthy fun. “Having worked for the YMCA of Greater Boston for over half a decade, I have seen firsthand the powerful impact that the Y’s programs have on our communities’ young people,” said Asadoorian. “Running for the Y of Greater Boston is such an honor, and I hope that it inspires others be proactive in ensuring that teens have access to the academic and interpersonal support, leadership development, nutritious foods and safe space for fun and learning that the YMCA of Greater Boston provides.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020, the YMCA of Greater Boston provided employment for over 900 teens, elevating their self-worth and self-confidence.

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New Rep Theatre Reemerges from Break, Returns to the Stage With a New Focus

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Nine months after going on hiatus, New Repertory Theatre will return to the stage with a show that is part of the new focus of the Watertown-based theater company. New Rep’s We Are Storytellers series begins at the Mosesian Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 23. The two-show festival features the stories of people who have not always had a chance to be seen and heard on stage. This is part of the strategy that New Rep has adopted as it makes its return after the break. The Hiatus

When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit in March 2020, New Rep could not put on performances inside the Mosesian Center, but continued with a pair of virtual plays in 2020, and an outdoor, historical walking play on the grounds of the Arsenal on the Charles in 2021.

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Armenian Churches Hosting Joint Musical Service for Maundy Thursday

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The Armenian Memorial Church and First Armenian Church invite the public to join the Joint Maundy Thursday Communion Service featuring a special musical program. The service will be held Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Armenian Memorial Church, 32 Bigelow Ave. in Watertown. The service features selections from “We Remember Calvary” by Joel Raney. “The program is a hauntingly beautiful musical program that combines traditional and contemporary hymns, scripture, and narration to paint an emotionally moving picture of Christ’s last days and His journey to the cross.