Around Town

Special Performance of Play About Watertown’s Indigenous History

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The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Initiative:

Community members are invited to a spring performance of Listen to Sipu, a play about Watertown’s Indigenous History written by Mwalim*7) and performed by New Repertory Theatre. Save the date!  May 11, 2023. Listen to Sipu offers a captivating and powerful story that illuminates Watertown’s Indigenous history. Join in on a performance led by a modern-day Tour Guide and meet Sipu, a quick-witted Indigenous woman who’s more than willing to correct misinformation when she hears it. Armed with facts the Tour Guide begins describing Watertown’s local history only to find that the facts are missing a lot of truths. Sipu is ready to step in and set the record straight, but will people choose to listen? 

The performance will be offered at the Watertown Middle School auditorium from 6:30-8:00 P.M. A light supper provided by Branchline featuring the Indigenous cuisine of Chef Sherry Pocknett will be provided from 5:30 – 6:30 in the cafeteria. Thanks to generous grants from the Watertown Community Foundation, the Watertown Cultural Council and support from the school-based Diversity and Inclusion Councils both the supper and performance are free.

Around Town

Citizens Petition Seeks to Limit Size of Building in Watertown Square

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The Central Business District can be seen in red. It is located in Watertown Square. Tuesday night, the City Council will consider a citizens petition to reduce the size allowed for new buildings going up in the area around Watertown Square. The City Council will meet on Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, and will also have remote participation by Zoom. The agenda also includes a vote on funding for the recommended projects from the Community Preservation Committee.

Around Town

Hear Immigrant Stories at Event Hosted by Project Literacy & Watertown Refugee Group

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The following information was provided by Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group:

Have you ever lived in a foreign country? Many of us have visited other countries for work or pleasure, but few have lived for a year or more in a country whose culture is different from our own. For most of us, going to another country and returning home at a time of our convenience has been a choice, not a necessity. If you were ever in a country very different from your own, do you remember the feelings of disorientation, and even culture shock? 

Watertown is rich in immigrants from many countries, with compelling stories of how and why they came to settle here. Project Literacy and the Watertown Citizens Refugee Support Group have organized an immigrant story-sharing event on Saturday, May 6 at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Light lunch from 11:30-12 will be followed by stories from Haitian, Syrian, Iranian, Guatemalan, and Vietnamese immigrants.

Around Town

Catch Basin Cleaning Starts Soon, DPW Asks Residents to Help Keep Them Clean

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Watertown DPWThe Department of Public Works will start stormwater catch basin cleaning during the week of April. 24. The following announcement was provided by the Department of Public Works:

Beginning the week of April 24, 2023, the City will be cleaning stormwater catch basins throughout the City, utilizing our contractor, BMC Corporation. There are about 3,500 catch basins in the City and it will take about a month to clean them all. Catch basins collect stormwater off the streets and connect to drain pipes that ultimately flow to the Charles River.

Around Town

Our History: Sam Adams Frequented Watertown’s Fowle House

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Charlie BreitroseThe Edmund Fowle House in Watertown housed the Massachusetts Council in Revolutionary times. Sam Adams was among the members of the Council. The following story is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Historical Society President Marilynne Roach for the January 2009 Historical Society newsletter, “The Town Crier”. Marilynne is also on the board of the Watertown Historical Commission.

Around Town

An Ode to Goaltending in This Week’s Small Saves

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James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”