Assembly Row and the Somerville Arts Council are thrilled to unveil a collaborative art project at Assembly Row titled “We Are Somerville.”  This art installation takes the form of three giant vertical banners, which feature portraits of people who live and/or work in Somerville. Collectively, these intimate yet bold portraits by local photographer Kristen Joy Emack convey the personality and diversity of Somerville. The banners adorn a facade along Great River Road and face the Mystic River and the Orange Line.

The Somerville City Council has passed a new ordinance that sets guidelines for when and how leaf blowers may be used within the city. With the fall season now here, community members are urged to familiarize themselves with the new rules, which apply to all users including the City and City contractors, residents, commercial properties, and landscaping or property maintenance companies that deploy leaf blowers. A full copy of the ordinance and regulations can be found at somervillema.gov/leafblowers, but key provisions include:

Interested in building a career in construction? Somerville Community Corporation, in partnership with the City of Somerville, is hosting a job fair to connect residents with local construction employment opportunities.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Ward 7 City Councilor Katjana Ballantyne, and City staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to review the final design for schoolyard renovations at the West Somerville Neighborhood School.

The design includes a small turf field, age-appropriate play structures, active areas for kickball and basketball, a climbing wall, significantly more tree canopy, tables and seating, new safety surfacing and fencing, and drainage improvements, among other features.

The City of Somerville has set up two free flu vaccination clinics for residents in October that will be open by appointment. Additional dates will be added through the fall and winter and will be posted on somervillema.gov/flu. Residents are strongly encouraged to get the vaccine to protect their health as well as to support the community’s efforts to lessen the impacts of both influenza and the coronavirus. 

Every 10 years, Massachusetts cities and towns are required to review their population data from the most recent U.S. Census and submit an updated ward and precinct map to the State for approval. The State provides municipalities with strict guidelines that must be followed for this process. An internal working group is collaborating with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office to propose new ward and precinct boundaries that will be submitted to the City Council for local approval on October 28, 2021.

Join the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs, Padres Latinos, and The Welcome Project for a Latin American Heritage Celebration on Monday, October 11, from 4 to 6 p.m., in Chuckie Harris Park. The celebration will include music, food, a talent show, a traditional dress presentation, a piñata, raffles, and stories of everyday heroes in the community. 

The City of Somerville is set to debut the new Assembly Square Neighborhood Plan.

The Assembly Square Neighborhood Plan is a master plan and zoning recommendation document that establishes the long-term vision for Assembly Square, Somerville’s newest and fastest growing neighborhood. Once adopted, it will provide the basis for decision making, development, and further planning as Somerville and the Assembly Square Neighborhood move into the future.

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, the Somerville Commission for Women, and RESPOND Inc. invite residents to join them for the annual Domestic Violence Vigil on Tuesday, October 26, to remember and honor those who lost their lives to domestic violence in 2021. The vigil will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. at Statue Park in Davis Square the West Branch Library, Atrium. The address is 40 College Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144. (Please note that the event was moved indoors due to inclement weather in the forecast.)

Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021, this public meeting will be conducted via remote participation.

We will post an audio recording, audio-video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channels.

Instructions for joining will be added here before the meeting.