Around Town

Citizen Petition Calling for Buffers Between Developments and Residential Zones Submitted to Council

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A photo of the petition sent to the City Council on April 27. Another citizens’ petition has been submitted to the City Council seeking to change zoning rules. This one seeks to reduce the impact of developments on abutting residential districts. The petition calls for “discretionary” transitions for new developments next to residential zones, which could include considerations for height, setbacks, and screening, among other things. It was signed by 439 people and submitted to the City Clerk on April 27.

Schools

Tour of Temporary High School Wows School & City Officials

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Charlie BreitroseParker Helwig of J&J Contractors shows City and School officials around a classroom at the modular high school at Moxley Field. Ooos, aahs, and genuine surprise were the reactions of the Watertown School and City officials this week when they got a look inside the temporary high school going up at Moxley Field. Right now, the area between Main Street and Watertown Middle School has a bit of a barren feel, with the grey modulars in a large U on top of bare earth. Inside, the building feels much more like a typical school. The walls and ceilings are complete, except for the seams between the modules and the ceilings, which will be installed after the lights, electrical wires, fire sprinkler system and other systems are installed.

Around Town

City Will Distribute $10.5M in ARPA Funds, Several Groups Have Ideas for How to Spend It

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The kitchen at the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church — the site of the Watertown Food Pantry, needs upgrading. The church is applying for some of the City of Watertown’s ARPA funds, with which Pastor Gary Richards hopes to create a space open to the community. Photo by Maya Shwayder. Watertown has $10.5 million to spend, and the clock is ticking! The City Council will be the ones divvying up the dollars, but Councilors will have to choose from a long (and growing) list of proposals:

The Department of Public Works needs around $5 million to replace Watertown’s crumbling water and sewer infrastructure.

Around Town

One of Watertown’s Oldest Houses Has Quite a History

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Charlie BreitroseThe Edmund Fowle House has been in Watertown for 251 years, though not always at its current spot on Marshall Street. It played a role in the American Revolution, including the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Massachusetts (re-enacted here in 2016) and was where the first treaty was signed by the United States. It is now home to the Historical Society of Watertown which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Living in a house dating back to the time of the American Revolution can be an adventure, with bouncy floors, water coming through the ceiling, and evidence of superstitions of times past. Former Historical Society President Paul Brennan recalled his years spent living in the Edmund Fowle House on Saturday when he returned for the Society’s 100th anniversary and the celebration of 251 years for the home that played a role in the American Revolution.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center Benefit to Honor Armenian Dance Company & Longtime Supporter of the Arts

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The following announcement was provided by Mosesian Center for the Arts:

The Mosesian Center for the Arts will hold its annual fundraising benefit on Wednesday, May 24. Themed MOVING FORWARD, this year’s event will celebrate Mosesian Arts’ strides toward becoming a regional destination for the performing and visual arts. Honorees of the evening’s Mosesian Awards are internationally acclaimed Sayat Nova Dance Company, moving culture forward throughout the world, and local arts hero Barbara Epstein, who as first president of the Board of Directors helped put the wheels in motion for an arts center at the Arsenal. The ensembles of Sayat Nova Dance Company will perform, along with cast members of Mosesian Arts’ upcoming Watertown Children’s Theatre production of Singin’ in the Rain Jr. Tickets include international hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, awards and entertainment on the main stage, and a selection of desserts. Guests will also be among the first to see the accompanying gallery exhibition, Flow: Art Inspired by Movement & Sound. According to Executive Director Darren Farrington, the theme MOVING FORWARD represents a determination to emerge from the public health and social and economic challenges of the past three years. “The arts community spent the first couple of years of the pandemic waiting to return to operations as they were before March 2020.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Cemetery Celebrates Arbor Day, Seeks to Become Carbon Neutral

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Courtney Lucas / Mount Auburn CemeteryMount Auburn Cemetery’s newest tree, a Yoshino Cherry, is planted with the help of Jonathan Webb, the Cemetery’s Director of Horticulture and Landscaping Operations, State Rep. Steve Owens, and Mount Auburn President and CEO Matthew Stephens. Already home to thousands of trees, Mount Auburn Cemetery added to its urban forest by planting a tree on Friday as part of its Arbor Day Celebration. At the event, President and CEO Matthew Stephens also discussed steps the cemetery is taking to become carbon neutral by 2050. On Friday, Stephens put one of the first shovels of dirt on the newly planted Yoshino Cherry. That is the same species as can be seen during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

The Yoshino is just one of about 6,000 trees at the cemetery, Stephens said.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Car Stolen Off Street, Handgun Found in River

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

April 14, 12:13 a.m.: Witnesses called police after seeing a silver and black SUV driving down Main Street with a flat tire and being driven erratically. The vehicle swerved a few times and almost lost control. Police located the vehicle on Prescott Street, and the driver was in the front seat slouched forward and asleep. It took several attempts for officers to wake the man in the car.