COVID-19

Superintendent to Ask School Committee to Make Masks Optional for Students

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Superintendent Dede Galdston will recommend that the School Committee allow mask wearing for students to be optional, as long as the COVID-19 cases trend continues “in the right direction.” Currently, students must wear a face covering in the classroom at all times, and during breaks and lunch, except when eating or drinking. The presentation will be made at the School Committee’s meeting on March 7, Galdston said in an announcement. She noted that unlike past vacations, the district did not see an increase in cases after February break. “Based on our pool testing and parent/staff reporting, we only have six known active COVID cases in the district,” Galdston said in the announcement.

Building for the Future

Watertown High School Project Gets Approval from State

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Ai3 ArchitectsAn illustration of what the outside of the new Watertown High School will look like. The plan to build new Watertown High School passed the last major hurdle when the state approved the project on Wednesday. The Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to approve the project on March 2. The new school will be built on the same location as the current school, and architects projected the cost at $201 million at the Dec. 15, 2021 School Building Committee meeting.

Climate & Energy Plan

Resident Comments Wanted on Watertown Draft Climate & Energy Plan

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A draft of the Watertown Climate and Energy Plan has been released and City officials seek input from the public about the document. The plan has been titled “Resilient Watertown,” and it details the City’s strategies to address climate change. The plan is the product of meetings, workshops and surveys, according to the introduction by Acting City Manager Tom Tracy. The City Council’s statement reads, in part: “The Plan identifies opportunities for lasting improvements here in Watertown, by reducing climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants and improving quality of life for all residents in the face of extreme events and prolonged stressors.” The plan seeks to help the City prepare for the impact of severe weather events.

City Council

City Wants to Change Location of Required MBTA Multifamily Zone

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Watertown City Hall

Legislation recently passed on Beacon Hill requires communities with MBTA service to create an area where dense housing projects would be allowed in locations near transit hubs. Watertown officials say, however, the area of the City designated by the state does not make sense and should be moved closer to the center of town. Each of the 175 MBTA communities must designate an area of at least 50 acres where multi-family projects with up to 15 units per acre would be allowed by right, so the City could not deny approval based on density. These zones are supposed to be within half-a-mile of a transit station. In Watertown’s case, the bus hubs in Watertown Square and the Watertown Yard do not qualify because they do not have a building available to passengers, acting Deputy City Manager Steve Magoon said at the Feb.

Around Town

Rotary Club Spreads Valentine’s Greetings to Seniors Through Service Project

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Rotary Club of WatertownMembers of the Rotary Club of Watertown, and some guests, wrote Valentine’s Day cards for seniors in town. Dozens of seniors around Watertown received Valentine’s Day cards thanks to the Rotary Club of Watertown. A group of four Rotarians, and two potential new members, gathered at Panera Bread one morning in January to write out cheerful messages for the recipients, said Lilia Weisfeldt, president of Watertown Rotary. “We created 100 personalized cards for local seniors,” Weisfeldt said. The cards were printed by one of the Rotary members, and delivered to the Watertown Senior Center by another member.

Hockey

Watertown Hockey Teams Heading to State Tournament, Boys Earn High Seed

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown is back in the MIAA State Hockey Tournament, this time as the second seed in the boys bracket. The Raiders boys and girls hockey team both earned berths into the MIAA State Tournament, and the boys squad has been seeded near the top of its bracket. Watertown High School’s boys team will host the winner of the game between 31st seeded Saint John Paul II and 34th seeded South Shore Tech in the first round of the Div. 4 Boys Hockey Tournament. The Raiders finished with a record of 10-9-1, and benefited from the strength of schedule in the MIAA seeding system.

Around Town

Boston Magazine Names Watertown One of the Best Places to Live

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The following announcement was provided by Boston magazine:

Watertown has been named a 2022 Top Place to Live in the upcoming issue of Boston magazine. Each year, Boston magazine’s Top Places to Live highlight the region’s most coveted communities, breaking down one of the nation’s most intricate real-estate markets into a comprehensive guide featured in the March issue. The magazine’s Top Places to Live is considered an authoritative source for what’s trending in the greater Boston real estate market. 

The most recent Top Places to Live names 18 communities as Top Places to Live – examining each based on current trends, values, tax rates, education systems and much more. This year, with feverish demand, rising prices and low inventory, the guide focuses on six key trends driving the market.  

Watertown was recognized as part of the retail development boom, as homeowners continue to seek a level of accessibility and urban appeal found in new developments similar to larger urban centers. The magazine cites Watertown for its close proximity to the city and mixed-used developments such as Arsenal Yards, noting the development, “boasts housing as well as brands including Shake Shack so you can grab a burger on the way home from work”. 

According to the magazine, the median single-family home price in Watertown is $785,000, with a residential property tax rate of $13.25. 

The March issue of Boston magazine, with the full Top Places to Live guide is available on March 1, 2022.