What’s Open/Closed On The 4th Of July, Fireworks Close To Belmont

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Photo: Old Glory, Belmont

Friday, July 4, the country observes Independence Day, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 (The document was signed on July 2nd). 

Massachusetts’ own John Adams, who signed the Declaration and was the nation’s second president, said the Fourth should be celebrated the day with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” Adams died on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the document’s adoption, on the same day as the declaration’s chief author, Thomas Jefferson, the third president.

Here is what’s closed and open on the 4th of July.

Closed on the 4th

  • Belmont Town Hall, the public library at the Beech Street Center and Benton Library, and town offices.
  • State and Federal government offices.
  • US Postal Service: Both Belmont post offices are closed; express delivery only.
  • Banks.

Opened

  • The Underwood Pool: Open to members and those purchasing day passes.
  • Retail stores: Open at owner’s discretion
  • Supermarkets: Star Market on Trapelo Road in Waverley Square is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the pharmacy will be closed.
  • Coffee shops: Starbucks and Dunkin’s on Trapelo Road will operate regular hours. The Dunks on Pleasant and Church will also be open.
  • CVS: 89 Leonard St. (Belmont Center) Store 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • CVS: 264 Trapelo St. Store 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Pharmacy 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For those who will be traveling using public transportation, the MBTA is running on the following schedule:

  • Subway will run on a modified Saturday schedule until 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., the subway will run on a weekday schedule.
  • Bus and the RIDE will run on a Sunday schedule.
  • Commuter Rail will run on a weekend schedule. After 8:30 p.m., bikes will not be allowed on board on trains. The last train from Boston’s North Station on the Wachusett route, which serves Belmont and Waverley commuter stops, will depart at 11:40 p.m.
  • There is no fare after 9:30 p.m. on all lines.

Riders are encouraged to purchase the $10 Holiday Weekend Pass for unlimited travel, July 4 – July 6.

Where to see fireworks celebrations near-ish to Belmont:

  • Arlington: Robbins Farm Park on Eastern Avenue just over Route 2. There will be music, and refreshments, with the Boston Pops Orchestra and fireworks on a giant screen. Starts at 6 p.m.
  • Boston/Cambridge: along the Charles River at the Esplanade, 10:30 p.m. A great option: Use the Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path along the Charles to get to Boston. A great option for viewing the fireworks is the BU Bridge which remains open all night.
  • Newton: Albemarle Field/Halloran Sports Complex. Carnival rides, food trucks, and a crafts fair starts at 1 p.m. with fireworks at 9:10 p.m.

State Rep. Rogers Sets July Office Hours In Belmont

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Photo: State Rep. Dave Rogers

State Rep. Dave Rogers has announced his July office hours. They will be:

  • Tuesday, July 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. 
  • Thursday, July 17, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Belmont Farmers Market, 10 Claflin St. in Belmont Center.

Feel free to contact Rogers’ office anytime with questions by phone at 617-722-2263 or email at dave.rogers@mahouse.gov

Select Board Opens, Then Closed Special Town Meeting To Limit Assembly To Four (!) Nights

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Photo: A full slate of articles will highlight Special Town Meeting this October

Special Town Meetings, which mostly occur in mid- to late autumn, are called so a vote can be taken on some article that needs a little more time to flesh out than it had at the annual Town Meeting. The one feature that “Specials” have is the limited number of “mission-critical” articles, limiting it to a single night.

But that’s not the case this time around, as the Special Town Meeting that takes place in October could run for four consecutive nights, with town officials packing the “Special” with big-ticket articles to present to members.

“It’s not suppose to be anything anybody wants to add,” said Elizabeth Dionne, chair of the Select Board.

Included in the Special Town Meeting package are initiatives from the Bylaw Review Committee, finalizing Senior Tax Relief, a homerule petition granting a new set of liquior licenses, a possible Belmont Center Overlay District vote, not to exclude issues “floating around” such as additional state aid and setting the tax base, according to Town Administrator Patrice Garvin.

“That’s a hugh agenda,” said Dionne.

In an attempt to limit what is looking like a weeklong convention, the Board voted unanimously to open and close the special warrant at Monday’s meeting. By leaving it open could result in residents with specific issues to attempt to add contensious Citizens Petitions into the agenda.

Even as the Select Board was debating the growing agenda of the meeting, Planning Department Chris Ryan said the Planning Board would like to make “some tweaks” to both the commercial and residential zoning districts with an eye to allow owners to make “common sense” additions to their property and spur on new growth.

Ryan said the town’s Housing Trust would like to make inroads this fall on any possible loss of naturally occuring affordable housing at the recently sold Hill Estates.

While saying the town will put a placeholder in the warrant for the Housing Trust, “we only can do so much,” said Garvin.

Once Free, Bulky Items, Mattresses Will Now Cost Residents To Have Them Taken Away

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Photo: This will cost you to be removed come July 1 (Credit: Jeffrey M. Vinocur, Wikimedia Commons)

It’s a claim to fame Belmont wants to shed: The Town of Homes is where residents of neighboring towns throw out their threadbare mattresses and large, oversized items at no cost due to Belmont’s tradition of complimentary sidewalk collection.

“We have become the dumping ground for surrounding communities to deposit their mattresses for free,” said Select Board Chair Elizabeth Dionne. And the ‘dump and run’ practice has reached a level beyond a nuisance, said Jay Marcotte, head of Belmont’s DPW.

In a move that Dionne hopes “will stop [Belmont] from bearing externality of other town’s large item trash,” beginning July 1, if you want a mattress, bookcase, or anything that can’t be stuffed into your trash cart, it’s gonna cost you after the Select Board unanimously approved the new fee structure.

Marcotte presented the suggested new payments for three catagories of pickups come July 1.

Change in cost to remove bulky items Prices for Pickups before July 1, 2025Prices for Pickups after July 1, 2025
Mattress/Box springFree$50
Bulk itemsfree (one per week)$40
Appliances$25 $40, $55 for televisions

Marcotte said under the new plan, residents will call the town, which will coordinate the pickup and take the payment. Residents should know that if they contact Waste Management, the town’s waste and recycling provider, to take away a mattress or box spring, it will cost double the town’s rate. The town is working with a outside vendor to recycle each mattress. Marcotte said the new fees will only generate enough revenue to cover the contrasted costs of the vendors.

Waste Management will continue to manage bulk items and appliance pickups under the new payment structure.

Marcotte said information on the updated costs for mattress and bulk item removal will be sent to residents with their next municipal bills and on the DPW’s website.

White Street ‘Ready To Go’ As Select Board OKs 14 Streets In $1.7 Million Pavement Management Plan

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Photo: Full-depth reclamation street repair on White Street begins this summer

White Street is at the top of the list of Belmont roadways to be reconstructed and repaved, as the Select Board approved a $1.7 million contract with Newport Construction Corp to undertake the 2025 Pavement Management Program.

Fourteen streets were selected in the contract, with most being “full-depth reclamation” under the PMP contract, according to Wayne Chouinard, Belmont’s Town Engineer. The low bid was approximately $200,000 higher than the estimated job cost, said Chouinard.

White Street in the Waverley neighborhood will be the first to be repaired and repaved, with work scheduled to start mid-July, said DPW Director Jay Marcotte.

“[The roadway] is already marked up and ready to go,” said Marcotte, noting the town hopes to repair White and Waterhouse Road in Winn Brook before the beginning of the school year in September, as each is close to area elementary schools.

The streets that are part of the 2025 PMP plan are:

  • Cushing Avenue
  • Sycamore Street
  • Linden Avenue
  • Shaw Road
  • Laurel Street
  • Underwood Street
  • Oliver Road
  • Marlboro Street
  • Clifton Street
  • Unity Avenue
  • Lake Street
  • Village Hill Road
  • White Street

Middle School, Chenery Activity Fees Jump 47 Percent For ’25-’26 School Year; Follows New HS Fee Structure

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Photo: Belmont Middle School

Students at Belmont Middle School and Chenery Upper Elementary School will face a nearly 50 percent jump in the cost to participate in many clubs, after-school activities, theater, and sports after the Belmont School Committee unanimously approved a $70 increase in extracurricular fees for the coming school year.

These new fees come three weeks after the School Committee sets a new fee structure for Belmont High School students participating in Visual and Performing Arts programs, which will also begin in September [See more information at the bottom of the article]

The committee believes the annual increase from $150 to $220 per student will reduce the extracurricular program’s reliance on the general school fund.

“We really are moving towards this concept that we want to decrease reliance on the general fund for these kinds of expenses,” said Amy Zuccarello, chair of the School Committee’s Finance subcommittee.

Screenshot

The activities fee increase comes as the Fiscal Year ’26 budget has a $100,000 reduction in the extracurricular line item for all schools.

“It is potentially helpful to offset that reduction [in the budget] so that we don’t have to impact programming as much,” said Superintendent Jill Geiser.

The higher fees in fiscal ’26 will increase the estimated revenue by $6,615 at the Chenery and $11,953 at the Middle School, resulting in a positive return of $3,160 at the CUE and $6,294. According to the district, these gains can be used to offset increased program costs and/or general fund expenses.

“[A]ny increase in fees will help to offset those projected deficits,” said Tony DiCologero, the district’s director of finance, business, and operations.

The committee had few options, with a likely stipend increase for the educators and staff leading the activities and increases in the general costs of running these programs.

“We don’t want to cut $100,000 from our activities,” said School Committee Chair Meg Moriarty, pointing to fees filling the funding gap. While she is empathetic to “parents who come forward and say ‘I pay taxes and I don’t want to pay another fee’ … But unfortunately in our community and with our budget, I think these are some of the hard choices we have to make” to keep extracurriculars at the two schools.

Committee member Zehra Abid-Wood asked if a process had been established to reach out to families unable to meet the new fee requirement. Zuccarello said there is a current waiver process that is being streamlined “to make it easier to access … which should help … where this is more difficult to pay.”

Moriarty also discussed how the committee could best deliver the news to the school communities: “I think we owe the community an explanation about how this increase in fees actually hits our budget. What are we doing with that money, and what does it still provide students? And if we didn’t [increase fees], what would we have to take away?”

“I think the School Committee can do a better job of providing that context publicly,” She said.

The new high school fee structure for VPA participants is a three-tier system, with levels aligning with participation.

  • Music – $335 / year
    • Marching Band/Color Guard, BMHS Winds, Jazz Ensemble/Jazz Combo, Chamber Music small ensembles, Madrigal Singers, a Cappella, Winter Percussion/Winter Guard
  • Performing Arts – $500 / year
    • Fall Semester: Broadway Night, Fall Play, Improv
    • Spring Semester: Musical, One Acts, Improv
  • Music and Performing Arts – $600 / year
    • All activities in music and performing arts

Closed: Boston’s Hamilton Co. Acquires Hill Estates For $175 Million

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Photo: The deal is done for Belmont’s Hill Estates, purchased by The Hamilton Company for $175 million

The Hill Estates, Belmont’s largest residential community, was acquired by The Hamilton Company on Wednesday, June 18, for $175 million, according to a June 19 press release from the Boston-based full-service real estate firm.

The 396-unit multifamily apartment complex on 14.7 acres off Brighton Street and two nearby commercial buildings were sold by the DiGiovanni Family of Belmont, which built the development in the 1960s. The Estates consists of five- and seven-story mid-rise apartment block-style buildings, two-story direct-entry townhomes, and garden-style buildings.

Hamilton will sell the pair of commercial office buildings totaling 16,000 sq. ft. at 26 Brighton St. and 90 Concord Ave. as they don’t mesh with the firm’s residential business plan.

The Hill Estates was put up for sale in January, followed soon by a purchase and sale agreement signed in mid-April by Hamilton’s Chairman and CEO Jameson Brown.

“This acquisition significantly expands our portfolio of high-quality residential properties to nearly 6,000 units in Greater Boston,” said Brown. “Belmont is one of the most desirable communities in the region, with excellent public amenities and convenient access to public transit and just minutes from Cambridge and downtown Boston.”

According to the press release, Hamilton will staff an on-site management office and operate all property management and maintenance functions for the units and common areas. Residents will also access Hamilton’s full range of online tenant services, including online rent payments, maintenance requests, and renters’ insurance.

The company plans to make significant capital improvements to the property, including renovating all units.

Founded in 1954 by Harold Brown, one of the true titans of Boston real estate, the firm has become one of New England’s largest privately held real estate organizations. It manages and leases nearly 1.5 million square feet of commercial space and more than 5,600 residential units, while developing and constructing residential and commercial projects throughout Greater Boston.

Belmont Opens Cooling Stations During Extreme Heat Advisory

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Photo: The extreme heat arrives this weekend and will last ’til midweek.

With daytime temperatures nearing triple digits and humidity on the rise through midweek, Belmont has opened cooling stations for residents seeking to get out of the heat:

  • Saturday and Sunday, June 21-22: Belmont Media Center, 9 Lexington St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for cooling, and the Underwood Pool on Concord Avenue will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Monday and Tuesday, June 23-24: The Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the Underwood Pool on Concord Avenue will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What to do during extreme heat:

  • Never leave children or pets alone in a closed vehicle. Even with the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 200°F within 10 minutes.
  • Slow down and avoid strenuous activity.
  • Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect heat and sunlight, and help maintain normal body temperature.
  • Drink plenty of water — even if you are not thirsty. Avoid alcoholic beverages and liquids high in sugar or caffeine. If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink, ask how much you should drink during hot weather.
  • Eat well-balanced, light, regular meals.
  • Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun. Do not leave pets outside for extended periods.
  • If you must be outdoors, limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening hours. Try to rest often in shady areas so your body temperature can recover. Use sunscreen with a high SPF and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • If you do not have air conditioning, stay on your lowest floor, out of the sun. Avoid using your stove and oven.
  • Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place, is a much better way to cool off.
  • If there are power outages during warm weather, you may need to take additional precautions or go to a cooling center or emergency shelter to stay cool.
  • Know the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and watch out for them. Call 9-1-1 to report emergencies.
  • Be a good neighbor. Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially the elderly, those who live alone, those with medical conditions, those who may need additional assistance, and those who may not have air conditioning.

Citizens’ Petition Would Force Belmont To Name New Rink After The Old One

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Photo: What was once old is now new: a Citizens’ Petition would require the town to name the new skating rink and recreation center after the old one

In a move that would circumvent a newly written policy on naming Town assets that is expected to be approved by the Select Board on Monday, June 23, a Citizens’ Petition certified on June 18 would force the town to retain the name of the former dilapidated rink onto Belmont’s new municipal skating facility if the article is OK’d by members in a rare summer Special Town Meeting.

Submitted by resident Gail Harrington, the “Save the Skip” would require the new $30 million facility adjacent to Harris Field on Concord Avenue to continue being named for James ‘Skip’ Vigilrolo, a long-time Parks and Recreation Department employee, outstanding hockey player, and head coach of Belmont High School hockey for a quarter century. Vigilrolo died earlier this month at 95.

The petition states that in recognition [of] Viglirolo’s years of leadership, service, and contribution to Belmont, “by retaining the James P. “Skip” Viglirolo Rink, as the official name of Belmont’s newly reconstructed municipal rink and sports facility … for generations beyond to keep Skip’s legacy alive in our community.”

The successful petition, which secured 258 signatures, now triggers a scramble for the Town Clerk’s office to prepare for a Special Town Meeting – most likely a virtual meeting – that must be held 45 days from its certification. The final day for the STM will be Aug. 9.

The Citizens’ Petition is anticipated to be on the Select Board’s agenda at its June 23 meeting.

But before the “Skip” gets a debate in the heat of summer, supporters face a significant barrier similar to what collapsed an initiative by residents at the Spring Town Meeting in May to place limitations on town involvement at the town’s senior center located on Beech Street: Does the Town Meeting have the authority to name town assets, or does that power lie in the hands of Belmont’s three-member administrative board? 

“Town Meeting will need to know whether its vote is binding or merely advisory in nature,” said Elizabeth Dionne, overseeing her final meeting as Select Board Chair this Monday. Vice Chair Matt Taylor will succeed the Chair on July 1.

The drive to continue honoring Vigilrolo has been a feature of an online campaign and direct action by campaigners before the Select Board.

The Citizens’ Petition will be highlighted at this Monday’s Select Board’s meeting when the administrative body is expected to put the final touches on a detailed rewriting of the one-page naming policy currently on the books. Since Spring, the new naming policy for all town-owned buildings and properties has been earnestly underway. 

In preliminary and draft proposals, the Board has avoided naming town assets—including buildings, athletic facilities, and grounds and fields—requiring a high bar to achieve that honor.

The Board of Library Trustees and the Belmont School District have separate naming policies. 

Belmont Joined Millions Declaring ‘No Kings’ In Nationwide Protest [VIDEO]

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Photo: No Kings in Belmont

Hundreds of Belmontians and many from neighboring communities joined millions of fellow protesters across the country on Saturday, June 14, to declare ‘No Kings’ as they voiced their opposition to what they contend is President Trump’s administration’s promotion of growing authoritarianism in the country.

The noisy and lively protest occupied the Town Green adjacent to the First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist across from the MBTA commuter rail underpass at the entrance to Belmont Center. Throughout the late morning, a continuous chorus of vehicle horns punched through the air to the delight of participants – many holding homemade signs – who lined the conversion of Concord Avenue and Common Street.

Belmont was one of 2,100 demonstrations in the US and overseas that brought out an estimated five million participants in a “national day of peaceful protest” against the policies of the Trump administration, highlighting its aggressive actions on arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants without due process.