Arsenal on the Charles

Hundreds Pay Tribute to “Fiscal Driscoll” at Town Manager’s Retirement Party

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Charlie BreitroseState Rep. John Lawn recalls working with Town Manager Michael Driscoll at Driscoll’s retirement celebration at the Commander’s Mansion. Sitting with Driscoll is his wife Jane. Around 200 people crowded into a tent outside the Commander’s Mansion Saturday evening to thank and pay tribute to the man known as “Fiscal Driscoll,” for his leadership of Watertown’s government for nearly three decades. Along with his financial prowess, people recalled former Town Manager (City Manager for the last few months) Michael Driscoll’s detailed memory, his ability to make the tough decision even when unpopular, and his devotion to the community he worked for for 45 years. The list of what was accomplished under his leadership is long, and Council President Mark Sideris read the City Council’s proclamation, which included the highlights: Starting curbside recycling, the Faire on the Square, the free Summer Concert Series, and the Watertown Farmers Market.

Around Town

Find Out About Plans for Sterritt Lumber Site at Community Meeting

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148 Waltham Owner LLCA rendering of the proposed office/lab build proposed to be built at 148 Waltham St., the former Sterritt Lumber site. The developers of the former Sterritt Lumber site on Waltham Street will host a community meeting on May 26 to discuss a proposed office/lab building. The owners sent out the following announcement:

Please join 148 Waltham Owner LLC for a review and discussion of conceptual plans anddetails for the redevelopment and revitalization of the site at 148 Waltham Street. The use of the site is being transitioned to Office Research and Development/Lab-Life Sciences incorporating publicly accessible open space and public realm enhancements as part of the development plans. (note: postings will be available online on the City website prior to the meeting)

We will be hosting an interactive meeting on Thursday, May 26th at 6:30 p.m. and hope you areable to join us for the presentation.

Around Town

40 Watertown Residents Join Walk for Peace, Double Fundraising Goal

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Watertown Walks for PeaceWatertown Walks for Peace joined the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace in Dorchester. Here, Bevin Croft, Jessica Middlebrook, and kids carried the WW4P banner, walking here with Councilor Tony Palomba. The following piece was provided by Watertown Walks for Peace:

For the eighth year in a row, Watertown Walks for Peace (WW4P) joined other teams from Dorchester, Boston, and surrounding Boston communities to participate in the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. This annual fundraising event supports the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in its critical advocacy and support work for individuals and communities that are victims of gun violence.      

This year’s Mother’s Day Walk for Peace was the first in-person walk since 2019. And for the WW4P team it was the most successful effort to date.  

Donations. The WW4P organizers set a 2022 fundraising goal of $3,000, but 62 donors generously gave $6,582 – more than double the target amount and significantly more than we’ve ever raised before.

Development

City Wants Input on Comprehensive Plan, Providing Multiple Opporunties

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City of WatertownA screenshot of the interactive map where people can leave ideas for what they would like to see in Watertown. It is part of the process for updating the Comprehensive Plan, the City’s key planning document. The process of updating Watertown’s key planning document, the Comprehensive Plan, has begun, and people who live and/or work in the City can give their input in a variety of ways. City officials held a community forum on Thursday, but those who were unable to attend can still give their opinions and ideas, said Watertown’s Assistant Director of Planning Gideon Schreiber. The City adopted the Comprehensive Plan in 2015, and now the document is being updated.

College Sports

Watertown’s Andrade Will Play Div. I College Football at ACC School

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s Mason Andrade booked a spot on the Wake Forest football team as a running back next fall. Watertown High School football standout Mason Andrade will be headed to play in the ACC next fall after being offered a spot on the Wake Forest football team. The senior rushed for 1,575 yards in the fall, was named the Middlesex League MVP, and made the Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic team. While it looked like he was going to play at an NCAA Div. II school in Massachusetts, he able to get a spot on a Div.

104 Main Street

Possible Main St. Project Has Restaurant Owners Worried About Future

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Crown CafeDiners enjoy a meal at Crown Cafe on Main Street. The future of the restaurant is uncertain because a development has been proposed that includes the restaurant’s property. The new owners of the Crown Cafe invested tens-of-thousands of dollars into the space on Main Street and the restaurant began serving food in January. Just a few months later they worry whether their investment will be for nothing, and the space where their business sits may be demolished to make way for a proposed five-story mixed use development near Watertown Square. One hope for the owners may be a grassroots effort started to try to stop the development by making the area a historic district.

54 Bus

MBTA Would Add New Bus Routes in Watertown as Part Revamping of Bus Service

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Charlie BreitroseAn MBTA bus in Watertown. The MBTA has proposed some major changes to its bus service, including more frequent runs for the 70 Bus and the addition of two routes: one serving Newton and Waltham, and another that goes from Riverside Station in Newton to Arlington and includes Belmont. The changes are part of the Better Bus Program, the MBTA’s proposal to revamp parts of the bus system to meet the changing needs of the Greater Boston area due to shifting demographics, new employment centers, increased traffic congestion and changing travel patterns, according to the MBTA’s website. Recently, the MBTA released a proposed map of the new bus routes (click here to see an interactive map). The changes impacting Watertown include increasing the frequency of the 70 Bus from the current service, every 30 minutes or less during midday and on weekdays, to every 15 minutes or less seven days a week under the proposed plan.