Around Town

Watertown Runner Honored by the Boston Celtics

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Legally blind since she was a child, Watertown’s Marla Runyan did not let her impairment stop her from reaching her goals as a long-distance runner. 

On March 4, the Boston Celtics honored Runyan before the game against the Utah Jazz. In 2000, Runyan became the first legally blind athlete to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. She ran in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games and stands as the only woman to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic games. She was the top American finisher in the Twin Cities, New York, Chicago and Boston Marathons. Marla now teaches at Perkins School for the Blind and serves as their official spokesperson.

Police/Fire

Blind Pedestrian Who was Struck Crossing Arsenal Street Has Died

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Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced this week that Arthur Bourgoin, 78, of Watertown has died from injuries sustained after being struck by a vehicle in Watertown on Tuesday, March 3. Bourgoin, who was visually impaired, was a volunteer at the Perkins School For The Blind, according to the announcement from the DA’s office. “This victim was attempting to cross the street when he was hit by a vehicle traveling on Arsenal Street,” said District Attorney Ryan. “Nationwide, in recent years, we have made progress in terms of pedestrian safety, but the number of deaths is still significant. The latest figures from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that pedestrian deaths occur primarily in urban areas and account for 14 percent of crash deaths.

Around Town

See How the New Park Along the Charles River is Shaping Up

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The area along the Charles River, east of Watertown Square has a snazzy new look featuring places to sit, look over the river and to appreciated the natural surroundings. Travis Mazerall, the project designer from Sasaki Associates, recently led a tour of the park near the intersection of Charles River Road and Irving Street has been turned into place that can be enjoyed by everyone, including the blind and visually impaired. The path includes wires hung across posts every 20 feet, or so. “Some have indicator beads about the size of a fist, that tell the user what is around, such as if there is a bench across from it,” Mazerall said. The project is being built by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), but is funded by a mix of local non-profits, foundations and some money from the town.