Around Town

Regional Planning Group Seeks Feedback on Areas of Town to Develop, Places to Preserve

By |

Watertown will be one of five communities on the I-90 Corridor studied by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to see which areas of town are the best fit for new homes and jobs, and which are best preserved. A feedback session will be held on July 31 in City Hall. See more in the information provided by MAPC. I-90 Corridor Development and Resiliency Plan: Mapping Feedback Session

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), is working with five communities along the I-90 corridor, including Watertown, Wellesley, Natick, Framingham, and Ashland to determine priority areas of regional significance. Which areas would be good for more homes and jobs?

Around Town

Watertown Church Hosting Leadership Summit

By |

Grace Chapel Watertown

Grace Chapel announced it will be hosting a two-day leadership summit in Watertown. See details in the announcement below:

The Global Leadership Summit is the largest leadership experience in the world partnering with business, local churches, ministries, and other organizations to help leaders grow and become catalysts for change. In this two-day conference you’ll hear leading experts from both the marketplace and ministry share their wisdom to fuel inspiration, recharge your vision, and trigger intentional action to never stop learning. It’s a terrific forum you and/or your team(s) to improve their leadership. For more info checkout www.GlobalLeadership.org/Summit. 

The GLS is perfect for both individuals and teams who want to grow their leadership skills. In 2024 over 300,000 people attended in over 110 countries. The GLS is run live from Willow Creek Church in Chicago, and streamed to thousands of host sites worldwide including Grace Chapel in both Watertown and Wilmington. Email cogswell.doug@gmail.com for further information, including complimentary tickets for church and/or NGO leaders. 

Conference Details:

Date: August 7 & 8Time: 9:30am – 5pm

Special discount pricing of $169 is available through the links belowNote that Grace Chapel’s discounts are applied at checkout, and only through the links below. We are livestreaming at two locations:

Grace Chapel Watertown – Sanctuary525 Main St, Watertown MARegister for Watertown Location

Around Town

City Will Begin Designing Watertown Square Soon, Construction Many Months Away

By |

Erika Jerram, the City of Watertown’s Director of Community Design, speaks to a group at a Watertown Business Coalition event. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

After a flurry of activity during the planning stages for Watertown Square, there has been a lull in the process. City officials said the action will begin again in the near future but the shovels won’t be hitting the ground for up to two years. Watertown’s Director of Community Design Erika Jerram provided an update on the status of the Watertown Square project during the Watertown Business Coalition’s coffee connect at Watertown Savings on July 16. The City Council and Planning Board approved the Watertown Square Area Plan in July 2024.

Around Town

Reopening of Arsenal Park Celebrates a Bright Future for a Site Filled with History

By |

The new play structure at Arsenal Park features a slide that begins 20 feet above the ground. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On a hot afternoon, the new playground at Arsenal Park bubbled with activity. Children lined up on the stairway up to the two-story high slide, and then cooled off in the new splash pad. These are just some of the features of the renovated park that was officially re-opened on July 15. The ribbon cutting held at the park behind Arsenal Yards marked the end of the second phase of the park renovation, and several years of planning and construction.

Around Town

City Calls for Art to Revitalize Coolidge Square During Mt. Auburn St. Construction

By |

A map of Coolidge Square showing possible installation locations. The City of Watertown today announced “Open for Business,” a new public art initiative inviting artists and artist teams to submit proposals for temporary outdoor art installations in Coolidge Square. This project aims to maintain the vibrancy of the neighborhood and support local businesses during the ongoing reconstruction of Mount Auburn Street. The extensive Mount Auburn Street reconstruction project, while essential for long-term revitalization, will undoubtedly cause temporary disruption to businesses in Coolidge Square. In response, the City of Watertown seeks to transform this period of change into an opportunity for community engagement and economic support through the power of public art.

Around Town

Group Seeking to Bring Food Co-op to Area Hosting Virtual Open House

By |

The Charles River Food Co-op will host an open house on Wednesday, July 23 at 8 p.m. The group has more than 950 members, and the remote open house is a chance to meet others interested in local, organic food. The Charles River Food Co-op sent out the following announcement:

Join us for our open house on Zoom to learn about our community-owned food co-op coming to Watertown, Waltham, and Newton!! What to expect:

Meet fellow community members passionate about local, organic food. Learn about our mission to bring affordable products and locally-sourced foods to our neighborhoods. Discover how our member-owned model puts community interests first.

Around Town

Sidewalk Excavation, Drainage Work Continues on Mt. Auburn St.

By |

During the week of July 21, sidewalk work will continue in East Watertown, and Drainage Work will take place in Coolidge Square. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown. Sidewalk Excavation Continues

Excavation of the westbound sidewalk on Mount Auburn Street between St. Mary Street and Prentiss Street will begin Monday, July 21, 2025 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn about travel and parking impacts below. Traffic and Sidewalk Impacts

The westbound sidewalk will be closed for excavation starting Monday, July 21, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. A bypass sidewalk on the westbound side will be opened up while this work is being completed.

Around Town

Negotiations Fail to Reach Agreement in Trash Strike

By |

Watertown DPWWatertown trash and recycling and compost bins. The two sides met Friday to discuss the trash strike impacting more than a dozen other communities, including Watertown, but left without coming to an agreement. The strike began July 1, and replacement crews began collecting trash and recycling in Watertown on July 7. The crews, however, were not able to complete the full day’s run, and this week Watertown hired an outside contractor to assist with pickups. This week, City Manager George Proakis sent a letter to both the Teamsters and Republic asking them to end the strike.