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.

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.

Government

Comprehensive Plan to Include Focus on Local Business, Diversifying New Developments

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The revised draft of Watertown’s Comprehensive Plan will include some new additions and points of emphasis about supporting small businesses and seeking to diversify the local economy after the input provided by residents earlier this year. On Thursday afternoon, he Planning Advisory Committee heard about the public input from the open house in March, as well as online surveys and emails sent to the project team. They also learned about the process for the final approval of the Comprehensive Plan. Phil Schaeffing, the project manager with Stantec, said the input came from a room full of people during the March 9 open house at the Watertown Library, which was also attended by several people online. They received both spoken and written comments at the event.

Around Town

Watertown’s First Sculpture Walk Being Installed, Grand Opening Planned

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Liz HelferThe first piece of the Watertown Community Sculpture Walk arrives on Monday. Installation of Watertown’s newest public art installation, the Community Sculpture Walk, began this week when the first of four pieces was erected in Saltonstall Park. The other three sculptures will be installed next week, said Liz Helfer, Watertown’s Public Arts & Culture Planner. Two of the sculptures will be along the path through Saltonstall Park (near City Hall and the Watertown Boys & Girls Club). The other two will be along the section of the Community Path between Whites Avenue and Waverley Avenue.

Government

Petition to Reduce Size of Buildings Allowed in Watertown Square Sent to Planning Board

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The City Council voted to send the petition requesting that the allowable size of new buildings in Watertown Square be reduced to the Planning Board for consideration. Councilors did not weigh in on the request, and were told they were required by statute to send the petition on. The petition submitted with the signatures of more than 200 residents calls for the floor area ratio (FAR) be reduced from 4.0 to 2.2 in the Central Business District, which includes most of Watertown Square. FAR regulates and restricts the height, number of stories, and size of buildings. Other factors impacting the mass and height of the building include the allowable height, the required setbacks from property lines, and the amount of open space required.

Around Town

Pair of Sisters Run Marathon for Hospital That Gave Their Mother Cancer Treatment

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The Tolman sisters, Katherine (far right) and Julia (second from right) ran the 2023 Boston Marathon for their mother, Carolyn (Second from left). Also pictured are their father Warren (far left) and Andrew (center). Katherine and Julia Tolman completed the Boston Marathon this year, and raised more than $25,000 for the hospital that treated their mother’s cancer. The sisters wanted to give back to the organization that gave their mother so much over the years: Mass. General Hospital.