November/December 2025 – Belmont Citizens Forum

Letter to the Editor: November/December 2025

November/December 2025, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Oct 312025

To the Editor: Love the publication of this article [“Where Does the Water Go?”, BCF Newsletter, September/October 2025], but there is an important correction to make: “It briefly enters Clay Pit Pond, then exits via a culvert beneath Concord Avenue, flowing into Wellington Brook.” should read: “It briefly enters Clay Pit Pond, then exits via a culvert beneath Brighton Street, flowing into Wellington Brook.” Basically Wellington Brook flows from the library to a culvert under Concord Avenue, and then into Clay Pit Pond. Water flows out of Clay Pit Pond into a culvert under Brighton Street into another part of [READ MORE]

Town Meeting OK’s Community Path Right of Way

Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, November/December 2025, Town Committee Meetings Comments Off

Oct 312025

By Vincent Stanton, Jr. On October 22,Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to approve two warrant articles that clear the way for the town to assemble the right of way (ROW) for the community path. Article 5 authorizes the Select Board to acquire the land necessary for the community path. That land totals 265,805 square feet, and most of it is owned by public or nonprofit entities: 45.2% by the MBTA, 40.3% by the Belmont Citizens Forum, and 8.9% by the Town of Belmont. The Belmont Citizens Forum has communicated to the town its intent to donate the 107,172 square foot parcel [READ MORE]

Book Review: Here Comes the Sun by Bill McKibben

Climate Change, November/December 2025, Solar Power Comments Off

Oct 312025

Book Review: Here Comes the Sun by Bill McKibben

By Jeffrey North with assistance from Roger Wrubel In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben offers a compelling case for why solar energy may be the most hopeful—and practical—path forward in the fight against climate change. McKibben, who has long been a voice for climate action and grassroots mobilization, weaves together history, science, and policy to argue that solar power is not only technologically viable but also socially transformative. McKibben begins by tracing the origins of the modern solar movement, reminding readers that the technology is hardly new. What has changed, he notes, [READ MORE]

Who Built the Homer House?

Construction and Housing, Historic Preservation, History, November/December 2025 Comments Off

Oct 312025

By John Beaty The William Flagg Homer House is a Belmont story with two mysteries. The first mystery is who was the architect who designed and built the Homer House. The second mystery is who William Flagg Homer was and how he provided the resources to acquire the land, hire an architect, and build this magnificent home. The Homer House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1979) and has been a focal point in Belmont’s Pleasant Street Historic District. It is especially interesting because the artist Winslow Homer was Flagg Homer’s nephew and often visited during the [READ MORE]

Profiles in Belmont: Andrew Mountford

November/December 2025 Comments Off

Oct 312025

By Elissa Ely Twenty-three years ago, I sent my child off to Burbank Elementary School. I had moist eyes. She had a yogurt, a few pretzels, a single Oreo, and a bag of carrots, which returned unopened several hours later. She moved through the grades and the years mostly uncomplainingly. What enchanted her, though, was the Belmont Before and After School Program (BASP). She wanted to be the first dropped off each morning and the last picked up each night. Staff must have worried about her home life. The head teacher at BASP was square-shouldered, frank-eyed, and pony-tailed; contagiously energetic, [READ MORE]

MyRWA Protects and Restores Mystic Watershed

Climate Change, Environment, November/December 2025, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Oct 312025

MyRWA Protects and Restores Mystic Watershed

Our Environmental Stewards: Patrick Herron, Mystic River Watershed Association The Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) has been a leader in restoring and protecting one of the most urbanized watersheds in New England. There are 44 lakes and ponds within the watershed, with its headwaters beginning in Reading and flowing to Boston Harbor. From ecological restoration and climate resilience projects to education, community engagement, and policy advocacy, MyRWA has built a reputation for turning data and public participation into lasting change. The Belmont Citizens Forum spoke with Patrick Herron, executive director of MyRWA, about the challenges and opportunities of protecting the [READ MORE]

Miyawaki Forest Planted at Belmont Middle and High School

Environment, November/December 2025, Open Space, Plants Comments Off

Oct 312025

Miyawaki Forest Planted at Belmont Middle and High School

On Saturday, October 4, dozens of volunteers of all ages gathered at Belmont Middle and High School to plant a Miyawaki forest, also known as a mini forest. (See “Belmont’s First Miyawaki Forest Comes to BHS,” BCF Newsletter, July 2025.) They planted 1,400 native tree and shrub seedlings on 3,000 square feet—about the size of a public swimming pool. Photos by Jeffrey North.

Opinion: Service in Belmont

November/December 2025, Volunteer Comments Off

Oct 312025

By Angus Abercrombie One of the greatest assets of our community is the many residents who take time out of their busy schedules to work on bettering our town. Some choose to serve on public bodies, some coach youth sports, and others dedicate their time to the numerous nonprofits making Belmont and its surrounding communities even stronger. That we see, time after time, our neighbors take on these noble efforts instills a valuable trust in shared values of the town. There is a distinct need for this work, both to complete tasks and to sustain our community’s character. It is [READ MORE]

Rock Meadow Lacks a Conservation Restriction

Environment, Lone Tree Hill, November/December 2025, Open Space Comments Off

Oct 312025

Rock Meadow Lacks a Conservation Restriction

By Dan Nolan A pastoral gem in Belmont, Rock Meadow is in full splendor each fall as the leaves turn, providing a backdrop for Instagram posts, family holiday cards, and yearbook photos. It’s a treasure year-round for people, animals, pollinators, and the entire ecosystem it shares with the rest of the Western Greenway. What it doesn’t share is the same level of protection. As the crow flies, the deer trots, and the water flows, the land is all connected. The Belmont Conservation Commission is seeking to strengthen that connection by providing Rock Meadow with the same level of enduring protection [READ MORE]

Serving Those Who Served

November/December 2025 Comments Off

Oct 312025

A Conversation with Belmont’s Veterans Services Officer By Jeffrey North In every community, veterans are our living connection to history, service, and sacrifice. In Belmont, the responsibility for ensuring these neighbors receive the benefits, care, and respect they have earned rests with the town’s veterans service officer. For this installment of Vision for a Better Belmont, we sat down with Bob Upton, who leads this initiative, to learn how Belmont supports its veterans, the challenges they face, and how all of us can contribute to building a stronger community for those who have served. BCF What led you to become [READ MORE]

Belmont Community Path Hits Major Milestone

Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, November/December 2025 Comments Off

Oct 312025

Belmont Community Path Hits Major Milestone

By Holly Muson and Jeffrey North On September 10, the design team led by Nitsch Engineering delivered the 75% design submission to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). This submission marks a significant step forward for Phase I of the Belmont Community Path. The 75% design stage means that detailed plans are now largely complete. The submission covers alignment, grading, drainage, fencing, landscaping, and structural components such as the underpass, retaining walls, and other supporting features. This level of design provides MassDOT with the comprehensive materials needed to move the project toward final review, permitting, and construction. With this milestone, [READ MORE]