Around Town

Sidewalk Work Continues Along Mt. Auburn St. During Week of Aug. 11

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Over the week of Aug. 11 to 15, 2025, the Mt. Auburn Street Project includes sidewalk excavation, as well as drainage installation in the Eastside of town. See details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Sidewalk Excavation Continues

Excavation of the westbound sidewalk on Mount Auburn Street between Belmont Street and Keenan Street will continue Monday, August 11, 2025 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn about travel and parking impacts below.

Transportation

New Schedule for the Watertown Connector Shuttle Between Pleasant St. & Harvard Sq.

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A Watertown Connector shuttle. (Courtesy of the Watertown TMA)

Watertown’s shuttle along Pleasant Street announced a new schedule. See more details in the information from the Watertown TMA below. The Watertown Connector (WATConnector) is a convenient, eco-friendly electric shuttle providing weekday service along Pleasant Street, with stops at Watertown Yards and Harvard Square during peak morning and evening commute hours. This eco-friendly service is free for employees and residents of participating corporate and residential partners (see list below), and available to the public for just $1 per ride each way, $10 minimum purchase to the public.

Weather

Weather Forecast: Warm Sunny Weather for the Next Week, Possible Storm at End

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The second week of August brings a near-perfect start, with sunshine, low humidity, and comfortable nights through Saturday. But by Sunday, the heat makes a strong return. A stretch of hot and increasingly humid days settles in through midweek, with widespread 90s and sticky conditions. Most of the week remains dry, but a few pop-up storms are possible later next week as the pattern turns more unsettled. Friday, August 8 – Sunny and warm

A beautiful summer day.

Around Town

Residents Walk Around Walker Pond, Meeting on Aug. 14 Will Gather Input on Future of Site

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Walker Pond can be seen through the trees from the path around the pond. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On the morning of Aug. 7 a group walked around a small forested area around one of Watertown’s few wetland areas — Walker Pond. The City purchased the property on the border with Waltham in 2023 to develop the area into a public recreation facility. On Aug.

Around Town

Watertown Launches Third Annual Call for Submissions for Community Sculpture Walk

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2022-24 Community Sculpture Walk artists (left to right): James Payne, Linda Hoffman, Peter Dellert, and Joe Chirchirillo. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee:

The Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee (PACC) is excited to announce the 2026-28 season of the Community Sculpture Walk. The Community Sculpture Walk exhibits outdoor sculptures to enhance the use of open space in Watertown, encourage public interaction with contemporary art, and create an annual exhibition opportunity for artists at all career stages working in a variety of mediums.

The Community Sculpture Walk follows the Community Path from the Thaxter Street parking lot behind the Watertown Free Public Library to Howard Street. There are eight sites along the path for sculptures and additional sites may be added as the path is extended. Each year, up to four sculptures will be selected to be on loan for two years, so that each year four new sculptures will be on view.

Business

Addgene Supports Wayside Multi with Back-to-School Backpack Donation

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Sophia Suárez-Friedman, Program Director at Wayside Multi-Service Center, with backpacks donated by Addgene. (Courtesy Photo)

The following piece was provided by the Wayside Multi Service Center:

As the new school year approaches, preparation can make all the difference — and thanks to Addgene, youth supported by Wayside Youth & Family Support Network’s Multi-Service Center (Wayside Multi) in Watertown will be starting the year well-equipped and ready to succeed. Addgene, partnering with TeamBonding, generously donated backpacks filled with school supplies to the Wayside Multi, which serves local youth and families. These backpacks were distributed to children and teens who will benefit from having the tools they need to start the school year with confidence. Some backpacks were distributed to students through Project Literacy, a program offering free English classes through the Watertown Free Public Library, where they were met with enthusiasm.

Around Town

See Where Watertown Walks Series Will Go in August

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The City of Watertown’s Live Well Watertown hosts walks in town each Thursday, each with a theme or focus. See where the August walks will be in the announcement from Live Well Watertown. WEEKLY WATERTOWN WALKS

Thursdays 10:00 AM – 11:00 AMMeetup location: Please note location in each description below

August Walk Schedule

August 7 ~ City Walk ~ Walker PondMeetup:  Gore Estate / Parking Lot 5Join us to explore the existing paths at Walker Pond and connections to Gore Place. Learn more about the upcoming community meetings to help design the future Walker Pond Park.  More information can be found on the city project page here – Walker Pond. This walk includes some uneven terrain / surfaces.  Supportive walking/hiking shoes would be best for this walk. August 14 ~ Wellness Walk / Walk with a DocJoin us to hear a short presentation on the importance of vaccines at different life stages followed by a walk along the Charles River pathway.

Around Town

Watertown Group Remembering 80th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

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Candleboats float on the Charles River in Watertown in memory of those who died in the nuclear bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice and the Environment:

Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 80th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing

Saturday, August 9, 2025

7:00 PM – Silent Vigil, Music, Testimonials – Watertown Square

8:15 PM – Floating of the Candle Boats – MDCR Dock

Speakers: Owen Madus, Massachusetts Peace Action and Sensei Morris Sullivan, Buddhist Monk

Musicians: Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin and Suzy Giroux

NEVER AGAIN – NO MORE HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI! NO MORE VICTIMS – ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS! “Why do we stand in silence and float candle boats”? *To remember the more than 210,000 killed, and the many more injured, by the U.S. nuclear attacks on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9 in 1945.