City Updates

Join us at the last SomerStreets festival of the year, the spooky and fun “Monster Mashed-up” on Sunday, October 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. (rain date Oct 27) on Somerville Ave. between Union Square and Park St. SomerStreets is the City of Somerville’s take on the internationally-renowned Open Streets concept, closing busy city streets to vehicles, and opening them up for cycling, walking, dancing, running, and other modes of activity.

Join the City of Somerville on Thursday, October 24, for the annual “Haunted Hall” event on the City Hall concourse from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The family-friendly event will feature costumed safe Trick-or-Treating, giant pumpkin decorating, games, and activities, refreshments, and more. Due to construction at Somerville High School, the haunted pathway element of the event will be replaced this year with painting giant pumpkins as well as children’s games, sponsored by the Somerville Recreation Department.
 

Join the City’s Engineering Department to discuss flooding issues on Richdale Ave. at a community meeting on Tuesday, October 29. Residents are invited to share their observations and concerns about flooding on their streets and learn about flood mitigation the City is working on. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Somerville High School auditorium, 81 Highland Ave.

The Central Hill playgrounds on Highland Ave. are expected to close Friday, October 11, to advance construction of the new Somerville High School. A renovated version of the playgrounds, tentatively projected to open in the fall of 2021, will be established in front of Central Library as part of the Central Hill Campus Plan. Patrons are encouraged to use other nearby parks and playgrounds during the closure.

The City of Somerville Elections Department is seeking polling place workers for the Tuesday, November 5 municipal election. To be eligible to work in a polling place you must be a registered Massachusetts voter. Inspectors are paid $165 for the day and work from 6:30 a.m. until shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. with a two-hour break. For more information, please contact Maria Pierotti at 617-625-6600 ext. 4200 or [email protected].

The Somerville Public Library announces the 2019 “Somerville Reads” events series. Somerville Read is a citywide reading initiative that encourages all Somerville residents to read and discuss the same book to promote literacy and community engagement. Throughout the month of October, the Somerville Public Library will host various intergenerational programs including discussions, book clubs, and more, all related to the themes found in “The Haunting of Hill House,” the 2019 Somerville Reads selection.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the Somerville Commission for Women and RESPOND Inc. announce the annual Candlelight Vigil in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Wednesday, October 2, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Statue Park in Davis Square. The vigil is an annual event bringing the community together in remembrance of those who have lost their lives over the last year to domestic violence.
 
In addition to the vigil, attendees will be invited to view the Clothesline Project, a visual display that honors survivors as well as victims of intimate partner violence.

Join the City of Somerville’s Office of Housing Stability (OHS) on Thursday, September 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a workshop on Section 8 housing searches, including advice and strategies to make your housing search more effective. The workshop will be held in the auditorium at the main branch of the Somerville Public Library, 73 Highland Ave. Interpretation will be provided.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the City’s Mobility Division announce that a community meeting has been scheduled to discuss two fatal crashes along State Route 38 (Mystic Avenue) in Somerville and efforts underway to improve safety for all road users. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 1, in the auditorium of the East Somerville Community School at 50 Cross Street beginning at 7 p.m.