This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Yes
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. No
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? Excited for the future of Watertown Square! Glad to see a focus on open space and accessibility for all modes of transit.
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? Would love to see new connections to the Charles River ecosystem formed in Watertown Square––whether through public art, informational signage, or wayfinding signage. Very interested in seeing the possibilities of street murals or building murals illuminating the city's connection to the river for the purpose of traffic calming, education, and beautification of the space.

History of murals used for traffic calming > https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-23/a-history-of-murals-used-to-calm-traffic

Street painting for mitigating urban heat > https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-08/heat-waves-los-angeles-reflective-coating-streets-cool-pavement#:~:text=The%20Los%20Angeles%20Bureau%20of,sun%20to%20minimize%20heat%20absorption.

The Place-making power of murals > https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/livable-in-action/info-2019/murals-slideshow.html

Mystic Mural project > https://artoutdoorsdl.com/2018/08/31/mystic-river-mural-project-is-an-impressive-ongoing-story/

Mural artist Sophy Tuttle for example > https://sophytuttle.com/murals
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Charles River Watershed Association is eager to be involved.

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Unsure
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Unsure
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? The questions raised about affordable housing.
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? This project needs to include more affordable housing units. This is key to maintaining a truly diverse neighborhood.
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Housing for All Watertown.

Before this survey, were you familiar with the MA Cultural District designation? Yes
Are you a: (check all that apply, hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Watertown Resident
Would you describe your work as arts or culturally-related? This might include theaters, galleries, libraries, schools, independent artists, and other. Not Sure
How often do you enjoy cultural activities in Watertown?
This includes live music, theater, movies, art exhibits, lectures, festivals, etc. Yearly (1-11 times a year)
What types of arts and culture activities do you enjoy in Watertown? (hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Art Exhibits, Festivals/Fairs
What types of arts and culture activities would you like to see more of in Watertown? (hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Art Exhibits, Lectures/Talks, Workshops/Classes
How important are arts and culture for quality of life in Watertown? Very important
How strong an arts and culture presence does Watertown have? Strong
Do you consider Watertown to be an arts and culture destination? No
How significant is Watertown's historical presence? Neutral/Unsure
What effect would a Watertown Square Cultural District have on quality of life and support for artists and businesses in Watertown? (select all that apply, hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Improve quality life, Supports artists
What could the city do to support artists and small arts and cultural businesses in Watertown? Offer grants and stipends to support artists. Bring them into discussions that aren't specifically about art -- they have a perspective that should be heard. We can learn from artists
What marketing strategies should be implemented in the Watertown Square Cultural District that are not included in the proposal? Record a podcast featuring artists, promote it on social media.
Storytelling / case studies.
Invite residents who don't consider themselves as artists to smaller events to mingle with artists. Reduce the 'fear of the unknown'.
Invite the artists into the marketing strategy discussions.
Get creative!
How welcoming is Watertown? Welcoming
In what ways is Watertown welcoming or unwelcoming? As a US permanent resident new to Massachusetts, who came from Chicago, I find people aren't as outgoing here. People who grew up here know each other and don't actively invite newcomers in. I'd love to see efforts to bring people together who don't usually spend time together. We can learn a lot from each other.

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Unsure
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Yes
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Unsure
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? It was recorded
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? How upstream traffic issues will be considered outside the study area
How the additional traffic from large lab projects will be mitigated
How the redesign will not only benefit developers
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Tenants of Riverbend Office Park

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Yes
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Yes
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? Nice to have food available to keep hunger at bay and meet local retauranteurs. Thought Jeff Speck was very informative and I appreciated his sense of humor. I now understand the factors that go into the process and success.
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? I think all the buildings should also be charming and inviting. Even with all the new street configurations, and plants, if the buildings look ugly, it wont be as inviting. I think the existing parks along the river should be linked very seamlessly to the square. Parking should be mostly out of site. Wide sidewalks.

I wonder how well you can distribute the traffic into alternate routes with the confines of the bridge. Will you be widening it or is that not necessary.
Increase the permeable surfaces as much as possible and prioritize other earth friendly materials and strategies. We need less asphalt. We need to collect water for reuse.

When thinking about parking, there should be some free parking for people on limited budgets to access the library, park, government buildings.
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Watertown library. organizations serving the elderly.

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Yes
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Unsure
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? I was heartened to hear what I think was a positive for building that are "rightsized" in height and varied
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? I'd like to see a roundabout in the convergence area but a light at the junction of Pleasant and Main St so the delta can be expanded right up to the sidewalk of the former Lewandos building. Also please make info easy to find. No more big boxes please.
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? businesses for sure, library, fire dept.

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Yes
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. No
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? The engagement of the community.
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? It is critical to use the Watertown Square redesign to minimize the "carbon footprint" of our community by making public transportation more easily accessible and ensuring safety for bicycle commuters and pedestrians.
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Biking/green transportation local interest groups, including those in neighboring communities, especially Cambridge.

Before this survey, were you familiar with the MA Cultural District designation? No
Are you a: (check all that apply, hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Watertown Resident
Would you describe your work as arts or culturally-related? This might include theaters, galleries, libraries, schools, independent artists, and other. Yes
How often do you enjoy cultural activities in Watertown?
This includes live music, theater, movies, art exhibits, lectures, festivals, etc. Weekly (1-6 times a week)
What types of arts and culture activities do you enjoy in Watertown? (hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Art Exhibits, Live Theater, Movies, Live Music, Festivals/Fairs, Lectures/Talks, Workshops/Classes
What types of arts and culture activities would you like to see more of in Watertown? (hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Live Theater, Live Music, Lectures/Talks, Workshops/Classes, Other - Intergenerational, hands on, singing, WHS features
How important are arts and culture for quality of life in Watertown? Very important
How strong an arts and culture presence does Watertown have? Neutral/Unsure
Do you consider Watertown to be an arts and culture destination? No
How significant is Watertown's historical presence? Very Significant
What effect would a Watertown Square Cultural District have on quality of life and support for artists and businesses in Watertown? (select all that apply, hold down the ctrl button to select multiple) Improve quality life, Supports artists, Supports businesses, Other - Ran out of room, but people don’t think of the town overall as a “known arts” destination but there are some wonderful destinations here, just not packaged as a marketing tool to promote visitors, or tourism etc.
What could the city do to support artists and small arts and cultural businesses in Watertown? Reg opportunities for youth/amateur/serious hobbies to perform & collaborate, music, art, poetry, dance, including w/ WPS which operates in its own world. Stronger support for MCA. Use school-city bldgs to provide more walkable destinations thru town. Important to have inexpensive spaces for people to rehearse-collaborate, churches used to fill this need, especially as residences are small Sq ft, and apt bldgs basically only offer a “lobby”, act like gated communities. Offer grants, support WCC
Looking at the proposed Cultural District Map. Are there any boundaries you would change? Why? Please be as specific as possible. Not Arsenal? reform retail, empty lot, parking-walking-biking-bus-shuttles, new community spaces here even N Beacon, MCA & Perkins. Big potential around the Greenway & comm path area to specify a condensed area, east on Mt Auburn +movie theater AYards events, hotels, WMall tbd. Include main institutions. Yes enliven Main St but that’s “Main St District” w/wonderful Armenian Museum. It ignores central Mosesian Ctr AOTC river Perkins. Yes events-culture @ City Admin-Lib bldg but they're govt bldgs
What marketing strategies should be implemented in the Watertown Square Cultural District that are not included in the proposal? Appreciate good intentions, but the current proposal reads like a marketing proposal vs serious arts & cultural specific district destination planning. You could market now, thruout our dense town even though not all existing treasures are included as noted above Abaka, Till, Spring, Canadian Cub, Sons of Italy, Faith orgs, etc. No hotels or B&Bs are adjacent here. Highlight mobility, parking sites, practical considerations. Mitigation on development projects could include city marketing support
What additional thoughts would you like to share about the proposed Watertown Square Cultural District? The push to accomplish this without much public engagement & ahead of Square planning seems misguided. Why not start with an area plan & have open mtgs & dialog? Why designate a “square cultural district” when we’re embarking on redesigning & even identifying the Square and “gateways”? Are arts boundaries necessary at this point? It would be great to have more affordable housing, perhaps artists lofts, and residencies, internships, or again shared working spaces. Thanks for this open survey!
How welcoming is Watertown? Welcoming
In what ways is Watertown welcoming or unwelcoming? Most people and govt and library are welcoming and responsive, and safe, yay & all are working to improve quality of life! lots of dogs but city & F’s Market not friendly for dog owners. Need neighborhood building-support for neighbor connections. Calls to DPW, Bldg Dept not super friendly, website not very user friendly (incl this survey on mobile device for the multiple choice). Need more curbs & better parking management to be more welcoming to pedestrians & accessibility & green issues. Traffic and some patterns w/big trucks on side streets, plus limited river access are not welcoming. WPS not friendly if not actually attending. Limited activities for teens (I thought AY promised bowling) and no good gym or swimming or bike tennis club (somewhat running) etc.

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. Yes
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Yes
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? Examples of the changes made in other cities was helpful to see the vision
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? how long it will take and the congestion from construction traffic
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Businesses along the impacted route

This event was informative and made me more optimistic about the future of Watertown Square. No
I support the goal of making Watertown Square more walkable. Yes
Traffic is the number one issue. Until we solve that, it's not worth tackling other issues. Yes
I plan to stay involved with the process as the plan emerges and evolves. Yes
It's important that a wide range of voices are heard during the process. Yes
What did you like and/or dislike the most about this event? Like- forward thinking ahead of time.
Dislike- too one sided. We have snow and rain. Plenty of inclement weather to be had. There isn’t enough bikers to justify neutering vehicular traffic in watertown. Who’s going to be a patron to these shops with snow on the ground? Can’t bike on it. That’s why we need parking garages for this very reason.
What are your biggest ideas and/or concerns for this planning project? Removing parking instead of adding public garages. Overdoing the bike lanes. Not taking into account the weather and how that can effect people actually using bikes. Use technology to increase traffic flow. Traffic flow can equal profitability for businesses. More access to get over Charles River/around watertown.
Who else should be included in the outreach process (organizations, businesses, etc.)? Business, public employees who work and commute in town. Actual residents.