Around Town

Installation of Replacement Pedestrian Bridge Across Charles River Begins

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Sections of the new Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge arrived Wednesday and will be lifted into place on Thursday morning, however it will still be a few weeks before people can meander across the new span. The bridge has been a topic of discussion and contention for many Watertown residents, especially those living close to the section of the river just west of Watertown Square. Originally planned to be in place by the end of 2017, the new bridge arrived Wednesday. Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy visited the construction site Wednesday afternoon as workers prepared the bridge to be lifted into place on Thursday morning. The project is part of the effort by the Baker-Polito Administration to allow more people to access parks and recreational areas around Massachusetts, Roy said.

Government

Charles River Path, Parking Lot Closing Briefly for Installation of Pedestrian Bridge

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The long awaited installation of the Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge will happen at the end of May, and will require the closure of a section of the path along the Charles River in Watertown, as well as a parking lot near the Dealtry Pool. The Department of Conservation and Recreation sent out the following information about the closure of the path:
DCR Pedestrian and Traffic Advisory: Charles River Greenway/Dealtry Pool in Watertown
WHAT: On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, and Thursday, May 31, 2018, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will implement a closure of the Charles River Greenway along Pleasant Street between Bridge Street and Galen Street in the Town of Watertown, and the parking lot at the Dealtry Memorial Pool. The closure will accommodate the delivery and placement of the new Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge. Work will be conducted from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pedestrians and bicyclists are encouraged to utilize California Street, and traffic delays are anticipated. A detour route and traffic signage will be clearly marked, a police detail will be on site, and DCR Rangers will assist pedestrians and bicyclists.

Charles River

Watertown Group Removes Trash, Debris During Charles River Cleanup

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A group from the Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice made the Charles River a nicer place by removing all sorts of items from the waterway during the Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 28. The group removed garbage, debris and much more from the shore of the Charles River in Watertown near the Stop & Shop on Pleasant Street. “We had a great turnout,” said Sue Ellen Hershman-Tcherepin, president of Watertown Citizens. She added, “It is both one of the most depressing and one of the most exhilarating activities that brings our community together!” The group was one of dozens participating in the Charles River Cleanup on Saturday.

Around Town

Charles River Watershed Association Hosting Cleanup, Canoe & Kayak Race

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This weekend will be a big one along the Charles River as advocates for the waterway will host a cleanup Saturday and on Sunday will hold a canoe and kayak race. The Charles River Watershed Association provided the following information:
River Cleanup
On Saturday, April 28 at 9 a.m., Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) will sponsor the Earth Day Charles River Cleanup. Volunteers from over 35 Massachusetts towns will work together at 104 sites along the Charles River to remove litter and beautify the river and its surrounding parklands. The largest one-day river cleanup in the country, this annual event brings together people from corporate, community and youth groups to protect the Charles River, an important natural resource for our whole community. After the Cleanup, volunteers will relax at one of three picnics, including a celebration at DCR’s Fiedler Field on the Esplanade.

Around Town

See When the Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River is Now Expected to be Installed

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For some people, the pedestrian bridge over the Charles River was a nice option to avoid crossing over one of the other bridges that often clog with traffic, but others rely on it. 

Watertown resident David Caine told the Town Council at a recent meeting that his trip to the grocery story takes double the amount of time without the span. “Up until February when I got my groceries I could cross the footbridge,” Caine said. “Now it is gone. I was told the new bridge was expected to be installed in November. Since then I was told it was delayed.

Environment

Noted Environmentalist Speaking at Charles River Watershed Association’s Annual Meeting

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Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), the leading science and advocacy organization for the Charles River and its watershed, announced it will highlight its programs and progress helping Massachusetts communities better withstand climate change at its annual meeting on March 8th at the Boston Marriott Newton. At the meeting, executive director Bob Zimmerman will review CRWA’s recent accomplishments and current efforts to improve neighborhoods’ resiliency to the extreme storms and frequent droughts brought on by the warming of the earth’s climate system. The keynote speaker will be noted environmental activist Alexie Torres-Fleming, who will demonstrate the power a community has in shaping its own environmental destiny. Drawing from her experience in spurring restoration of the Bronx River in New York City, Torres-Fleming will help frame CRWA’s work in climate resilience through the lens of community empowerment. “At a time of retrenchment in federal environmental policy, Torres-Fleming’s insights on activism are particularly instructive,” said Bob Zimmerman, CRWA executive director.

Around Town

Installation of New Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River Delayed

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Originally scheduled to be installed in November, the debut of the new pedestrian bridge over the Charles River has been pushed back to December at the earliest. Conservation Commission Chairman Leo Martin provided an update on the project during the board’s meeting last week. Martin spoke to officials from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which oversees the Charles and the area around it. “The problem is the fabrication of the bridge is ongoing,” Martin said. “Originally a firm from North Carolina was supposed to build it.

Environment

Charles River Watershed Group Pushing for Removal of Watertown Dam

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A short distance from Watertown Square the waters of the Charles River back up in a placid pool and then cascade several feet down into an area frequented by birds and other animals. This area, however, could be vastly changed if the Watertown Dam, which holds back the river, is removed as proposed by the Charles River Watershed Association (CWRA). 

A dam was first built in the location in 1632 as a fish weir. The dam was rebuilt in 1962 after it suffered damage from flooding in 1918 and Hurricane Diane in 1955. Earlier this month, Elisabeth Cianciola, aquatic scientist with the CWRA, spoke to the Conservation Commission about the possibility of removing the dam. “There is no recognized use for the dam,” Cianciola said.