Outdoor Rink Opening Celebrates Hockey & Pays Tribute to Fallen Marine

Young hockey players from Watertown participate in a clinic run by the Boston Bruins Foundation following the dedication of the outdoor rink at PFC Richard Moxley Field. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Part hockey clinic, part history lesson, part Boston Bruins tribute, and part airshow — last week’s opening celebration for the outdoor rink at PFC Richard Moxley Playground was a community celebration. Residents young and not so young crowded around Watertown’s newest recreational facility, the multi-sport rink, basketball, and tennis/pickle ball court at Moxley Field. One of the big draws for the Oct. 25 event was the Boston Bruins Foundation, as well as a Watertown hockey legend.

Youth Hockey Players Can Enter to Participate in Boston Bruins Foundation Clinic

Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola announced that young hockey players can enter to be part of a hockey clinic put on by the Boston Bruins Foundation. The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Recreation Department:

On behalf of the City of Watertown, the Watertown Department of Recreation, and the Boston Bruins Foundation, it is my privilege to formally invite you to our Court Dedication Ceremony at PFC Richard Moxley Field. This event will take place on Wednesday, October 25 at 4 p.m. at 31 Westminster Ave in Watertown. As part of this Dedication and Celebration, there will be a hockey clinic offered by the Boston Bruins Foundation. The Watertown Recreation Department are looking for 30 participants who love hockey, ages 8, 9, 10 and 11 and will be able to make a commitment on October 25 from 3:30 to 5:30.

Boston Bruins Foundation Sponsoring New Outdoor Rink/Court at Moxley Field, Jerry York to Speak at Opening

The new multi-sport rink and court at Moxley Field will be sponsored by the biggest name in hockey the Boston area, and one of Watertown’s hockey royalty will be part of the dedication later in October. The Watertown Recreation Department sent out the following announcement:

Residents and Friends of Watertown,

On behalf of the City of Watertown, the Watertown Department of Recreation, and the Boston Bruins Foundation, it is my privilege to formally invite you to our Court Dedication Ceremony at PFC Richard Moxley Field. This event will take place on Wednesday, October 25 at 4 p.m. at 31 Westminster Ave in Watertown. I am honored that we can salute Vietnam War Marine PFC Richard Moxley, for whom the field is named after, while creating a fun filled event to not only dedicate, but officially open our newest recreational facility. This facility includes a multi-purpose rink, basketball court, tennis / pickleball court, and LED lighting.

Students, Parents Get a Look Inside the Temporary Watertown High School After Ribbon Cutting

The temporary campus for Watertown High School at PFC Richard Moxley Field opened after a ribbon cutting on Aug. 31 by, from left, Superintendent Dede Galdston, Principal Joel Giacobozzi, Assistant Superintendent Steve Magoon, and City Council President Mark Sideris. (Photo by Maya Shwayder)

The huge, empty hallways smelled like the wood aisle at Home Depot. Large boxes – empty and not – lined most corridors, and all the computers and monitors in the media room were still wrapped in plastic. But nonetheless the modular Watertown High School at PFC Richard Moxley Field held its grand opening five days before the first day of school, complete with a red ribbon and giant scissors to cut it.

Public Invited to Ribbon Cutting & Tour of Temporary High School at Moxley Field

A view of the temporary Watertown High School at Moxley Field from a presentation to the School Building Committee. (Courtesy of the Watertown Schools)

The public can get an inside look at the place where Watertown High School students will call home for the next three years. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at the Watertown High School at Pvt. First Class Moxley Field on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m.

“The public is welcome and invited to see what beautiful work has been done there for our temporary high school,” City Council President Mark Sideris said.

Watertown High School Prepping for Life at Temporary Campus at Moxley, Other Locations

A view of the temporary Watertown High School at Moxley Field from a presentation to the School Building Committee. (Courtesy of the Watertown Schools)

The final touches are being made on the temporary campus in preparation for Watertown High School students to return to class on Sept. 5, and the students and staff alike will have to adapt to their new digs, which include sites outside the modular campus at Moxley Field. Principal Joel Giacobozzi told the WHS community that they will have to adjust to a new way of “doing school,” in the introduction in the student handbook (see below). Meanwhile, construction crews continue to work to get the two-story school made from prefabricated modules ready for class.

Summer of Upgrades at Multiple Watertown Fields & Parks

The artificial turf has been removed from Victory Field, and will be replaced over the summer. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

This summer some of Watertown’s fields and recreation facilities have been filled with construction crews and equipment, instead of residents and athletic equipment. The football and baseball fields at Victory Field, the courts at Moxley Field, and the spray pad at Filippello Park all have ongoing construction projects. Recreation Director Peter Centola thanked City Manager George Proakis for placing a priority on completing some delayed park and field projects. “One thing I am very appreciative of Mr. Proakis and leadership and the City Council is for really just understanding that you can’t continue to have projects on the backlog and not do it,” Centola said.

Traffic Commission to Discuss Changes Around Temporary High School

A map of the temporary high school site at Moxley Field showing the proposed changes to deal with traffic in the area. (Courtesy of the Watertown Public Schools). The Watertown High School Project team invites you to attend a scheduled Traffic Commission meeting on Wednesday June 28, at 7 p.m. at the Administration Building (149 Main Street) in the Philip Pane Meeting Room to finalize the traffic provisions that will be in effect for the duration of occupancy of the temporary high school located at Moxley Playground. This is an opportunity for community members to review the final version of the previously presented traffic plans that will result in an overall increase in safety for all surrounding residents and students. The below changes have been added to the final proposed plans after careful consideration by Watertown Public Schools and Watertown Police, as well as incorporating discussions from past meetings with the Community,:

• One (1) dedicated SRO [School Resource Officer] Parking space for each school (WMS and Moxley HS)• No through traffic on Bemis St.