Around Town

Zoom Events for Seniors, Property Tax Work Off & More from the Senior Center

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Watertown Senior Center

The Watertown Senior Center sent out the following information (see the entire August 2020 Watertown Senior News by clicking here):

To keep our senior community safe, the Senior Center remains closed to visitors for all programs, exercise classes, social activities and shuttle bus services until further notice as we adhere to recommendations for a safe re-opening. However, many of our programs have moved to a Zoom format, including Art with Dawn, Chair Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation, Seated Strength and Balance, Exercise with Joanna, Mellowtones Chorus and other discussion groups.New for August include Line Dancing, Flowers with Ernie, and Pilates! Please review the newsletter for details. Staff is available to respond to your phone calls and to emails. You can reach us by calling the Senior Center at (617) 972-6490 or by emailing SeniorCenter@watertown-ma.gov.Senior Parking Permits: Renew or purchase a new permit by calling us at (617) 972-6490 for details. Election Help: The Town Clerk is in great need of assistance with the process of mailing out and receiving ballots. Help is also needed on Election Days at the Polls on September 1 and November 3.

Around Town

NAMI Family Support Group Holding Virtual Meeting

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The virtual NAMI Family Support Group will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm using zoom.us so the next one will be on Tuesday, August 11. We will offer this until we are able to meet in person again. This group is for caregivers of persons with mental illness. See namimass.org for information regarding peer groups for people themselves experiencing a mental illness.    

To get the information to enter this group, we need your email address. Please email us at info@naminw.org. , and add your phone number in case we need to reach you.  

Around Town

Closure of Part of Watertown Park Extended by a Week

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Filippello Park. Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola announced that part of Filippello Park will be closed for another week for construction. Centola sent out the following announcement:

The Filippello (Arlington) section of Filippello Park closure has been extended and will not be open to the public and all users until Friday, August 7 at 6:00pm due to the installation of pole foundations for the new lighting system. This includes the field, walking track, tot lot / playground and table and grill areas within the Filippello (Arlington) section of the park. This does not include the Filippello (Grove) entryway, dog park, courts, parking lot, Filippello (Grove) field, tot lot, table and grill area, bathroom and spray park.

Around Town

Local Health & Fitness Businesses Look for Ways to Survive COVID-19

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Artemis Yoga runs outdoor classes at Arsenal Park several times a week. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a curveball for many industries, but some local exercise and fitness businesses have found some innovative ways to serve their clients. A fitness trainer has teamed up with a dance studio to provide an event for the whole family, while a yoga studio has taken to the park to do in-person classes. Meanwhile, some new businesses are trying to establish themselves in spite of the Coronavirus restrictions. Jan Taylor, who runs Get Lively: Health & Fitness, has a studio where she has been running socially distanced in-person classes.

Around Town

7 Bluebike Stations Being Installed in Watertown

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Watertown will be getting seven Bluebike stations, with the first few being installed in early August. The first few of the seven Bluebike stations coming to Watertown will be installed with in the next few days. Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director of Community Development and Planning, welcomed Bluebike’s expansion into town. “This is an exciting opportunity to bring bike share to Watertown, and provide connections to the other communities and to the T, with a consistent program throughout the region,” Magoon said. “The experience for the public will be seamless and much more functional.”

Watertown Transportation Planner Laura Wiener said the first station is due to be installed in Coolidge Square on Friday, July 31.

Around Town

Watertown Girl Greeted by Parade of Trucks for Her 2nd Birthday

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Two-year-old Emmeline looks in awe at the five Republic Services trucks that turned up for her birthday. This week, a young Watertown girl got a special visit from Republic Services, the town’s trash and recycling contractor, to celebrate her second birthday. Emmeline’s mother Ashley Dixon wrote this letter in appreciation of the celebration:

Dear Ms. Osmond and Mr. Leavery,

I am writing with a sincere thank you to Shane, his Republic Services crew, and the Town of Watertown. Crews from Republic Services delivered gifts to Emmeline for her second birthday. Whenever my daughter hears one of their trucks, she drops everything to go and watch in amazement.

Around Town

Watertown Group Using MLK’s Teachings to Address Racial Injustice, Bigotry

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People kneel in memory of George Floyd and others during a candlelight vigil in Watertown Square co-sponsored by the Kingian Response Team and the Watertown Police Department. Tuesday night, dozens of people gathered in Watertown Square holding lanterns and candles in a vigil for George Floyd and others, and to speak out against racism and bigotry. The event was one of the first efforts of the Kingian Nonviolence Response Team, which grew out of a program that has its roots in the Watertown Public Schools. The Kingian group has plans to work with the Watertown Police Department, the Watertown Public Schools and the Town Council to reduce what they see as systemic racism in these local institutions. And much of the effort is being led by current Watertown students who learned King’s teachings in the Kingian Nonviolence program at Watertown Middle School.

Around Town

Mosquito in Watertown Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Health Department:

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Watertown, Massachusetts. In 2019, 8,295 mosquito samples were tested forWNV and 87 samples were positive. Watertown had no WNV positive mosquito samples identified in 2019. WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas.