Parked car gets rammed into The Cottage restaurant by another vehicle

May 2, 2026 by admin Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Police Department is investigating a late Saturday afternoon crash in the Linden Square parking lot that involved the driver of one vehicle ramming a parked car into the entryway of The Cottage restaurant.

If some of you are wondering whether this has happened before, yes, in 2014.

The driver was injured and transported to the hospital with minor injuries; the parked car was unoccupied, and fortunately no one inside the restaurant was hurt.

Not seeing any updates yet on The Cottage’s website or social media accounts about its status. We couldn’t get through via the phone.

car crash the cottage linden square — Photo by Sam Cary

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A kitchen years in the making opens at Wellesley’s Tolles Parsons Center

May 2, 2026 by Raahi Mehta Leave a Comment

tolles campana kitchen — Richard Campana Kitchen ribbon cutting (Photo by Raahi Mehta)

Older adults gathered at Wellesley’s Tolles Parsons Center, greeting familiar faces as they filtered into the building to view the newly operational kitchen. As they were welcomed inside the center’s multipurpose room, not a single seat was left unfilled and the room buzzed with conversation.

The long-awaited commercial kitchen at the Tolles Parsons Center officially opened on Friday, March 6. For years, construction hurdles and licensing issues left the space underutilized. Now, with approval from the Wellesley Health Department, the Council on Aging (COA) is ready to bring the space to life.

Kathy Savage, COA Acting Director of Senior Services, said the kitchen would help transform what is often a solitary chore of cooking into a vibrant community experience for older people to “age healthy” together.

“Some of them are on their own and they live on their own, and it’s really hard,” she said.

About 75 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony that celebrated completion of the Richard Campana Kitchen. It was named after the late Wellesley resident Richard A. Campana, who made a $400,000 bequest to support programs and services at the Tolles Parsons Center.

Members of the Council on Aging board and relatives of Campana gathered to celebrate the opening and honor his contribution. The highlight of the afternoon came when Linda Campana, his cousin, lifted a pair of oversized ceremonial scissors and cut the green ribbon to open the kitchen.

“The scissors were very heavy,” she said with a laugh.

campana kitchen Tolles Parsons Center — Linda Campana cuts the ribbon at the Tolles Parsons Center kitchen (photo by Raahi Mehta)

The room erupted with applause and the attendees eagerly made their way into the kitchen.

Heidi Campana, Richard’s niece, gave a speech commemorating his contributions to the town and his devotion to his family. “My uncle served as a role model for me,” Heidi said. “My memories of Richard are very fond, and he would be so pleased to know that we have a room full of people who are here today in his memory.”

Savage said the space will be used to host cooking classes and educational sessions on healthy eating for older people. There are also plans to collaborate with community farms to provide expertise on fresh produce and progressing simple recipes into complex dishes, she said.

The kitchen was open to the public and guests continued to move through the kitchen throughout the event, taking pictures of the prep area.

This project has been years in the making. A feasibility study conducted about 10 years ago determined that a commercial kitchen was possible, but the space lacked a required dry storage area after earlier construction changes. The recent renovation addressed that issue, allowing the kitchen to meet licensing standards. The Wellesley Health Department approved the kitchen earlier this year.

The COA catered events at the Tolles Parsons Center under special permission from the Health Department, which allowed a once-a-month exception despite the kitchen not meeting construction requirements. However, officials made clear this could not be a permanent arrangement, said COA Board Chair Judy Gertler.

The recent remodeling began last year and concluded in January. Town Meeting approved funding for the renovation, while the Campana funds are being allocated to programming at the Tolles Parsons Center.

“It is already a tradition to hold the annual St. Patrick’s Day luncheon with funds from the Campana Fund,” Gertler said. “We anticipate there will be many more activities that will utilize the kitchen and will be made possible due to Richard Campana’s generosity.”

The initial Tolles Parson Center design plans included a kitchen, but due to construction issues and the lack of funding, the kitchen area had been closed off, according to COA Vice Chair Marlene Allen.

“I worked hard to get it,” said Allen. “I feel that’s what the town expected. That’s what they planned for, that’s what they paid for, and for the long future of this building, that’s what it should have.”

Wellesley Media video on ribbon cutting

This story was produced through a partnership between The Swellesley Report and Boston University’s Department of Journalism.

Major Wellesley commercial properties change hands in Lower Falls & Rte. 9

May 1, 2026 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Boylston Properties has acquired properties within a multi-building campus at 30–44 Washington St. in Wellesley Lower Falls from longtime owner Haynes Management, which has been selling off many of its office properties across town. One Boylston founder called the property “a generational asset.”

Boylston announced the deal; Haynes rarely says anything public about its transactions. The price was not announced for this sale. Wellesley assesses some of the individual properties for well over $10m.

34 washington train boston wellesley — 34 Washington St.

According to Boylston, the property spans more than 11 acres and includes a mix of office buildings and adjacent residential assets. Lots of parking, too.

“Boylston Properties plans to implement a series of enhancements focused on upgrading office building exteriors, interiors, and landscaping, with the goal of creating a cohesive, welcoming campus that serves existing tenants, new tenants and their client-facing businesses. Available leasing opportunities range from approximately 200 to 8,600 square feet, offering a flexible mix of suites for both established firms and growing teams,” according to the real estate developer.

This marks Boylston Properties’ entry into Wellesley; it has other developments nearby in Needham and Watertown.

This and other property in the area was recently a topic of discussion at a Wellesley Planning Board meeting that dove into a planned Lower Falls study. One point made was that key property owners in the area would need to be looped in before or after the study begins.

R.W. Holmes, a commercial real estate firm, said in its Q3 report from last year that “The 10+ acre site is prime for future redevelopment, but will require work with the city [sic] to determine what mixed-use opportunities will be considered.”

Haynes sold seven Wellesley office properties, including at 40 Grove St. and in Wellesley Hills, to Jumbo Capital in 2023 for an estimated $49m. Jumbo’s also looking to raze a Haynes property at 888 Worcester St., recently a temporary Wellesley Town Hall, to make way for senior housing.

Separately, National Development has announced the acquisition of 93 Worcester St. on behalf of a separate account it manages. This property includes office and lab space along Rte. 9 west and Rte 95.

The approximately 277,000-square-foot property, once known as Wellesley Gateway North, is being re-marketed as Wellesley Crossing (fun fact: the Terrazza condo complex on Linden Street was once referred to as that). The building, which went up in 2000 and has been renovated big time since, includes a cafeteria, gym, and lots of potential lab space. Current tenants include Aetna, AXA, Peak Financial Management and the American Heart Association.

A few years back, a developer attempted to turn 93 Worcester street into a life sciences hub, but that proved to be a bust when the market for such space went south. The property wound up being sold for $65m on the auction block; the town assesses the property now at $85m.

National Development has left its mark on Wellesley over the years, including with the Waterstone at Wellesley project in Lower Falls.

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Wellesley Special Town Meeting on May 11 about MassBay land plans: ‘This is not a traditional Town Meeting’

May 1, 2026 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

The Wellesley Select Board this week (see Wellesley Media’s April 27 meeting recording) came to agreement on the motion language to be discussed and voted on at the May 11 Special Town Meeting to be held at Wellesley High School at 7pm. The board is seeking input from Town Meeting members and residents on non-binding questions about the designation as surplus land and subsequent land disposition of 40 Oakland St. at MassBay Community College.

The April 27 meeting further refined motion language discussed at an April 23 Select Board meeting.

The state is seeking to have a developer build 180 units of housing across from the MassBay Campus adjacent to the forest that abuts—and essentially blends into—the town-owned Centennial Reservation. The state is taking its action under the Affordable Homes Act designed to help address the Commonwealth’s housing shortage. The MassBay issue has been hugely controversial in in town, with some worried that the housing development will infringe on the forest and worsen traffic in the area, while others say the housing is needed, that an agreement with the state will actually protect the forest, and that funding from the development can be used to support MassBay.

(The Swellesley Report was the first to report on this issue, all the way back on June 2, 2025.)

In a letter to Town Meeting members, Moderator Mark Kaplan wrote “This is not a traditional Town Meeting. The Select Board is seeking Town Meeting’s non-binding advice on three possible options in response to the State’s proposed development on and/or in the immediate vicinity of the Mass Bay Community College’s parking lot at 40 Oakland Street. There is a lot of work, and it needs to be completed in just one session…” The state has set a deadline of May 13 for feedback on

The warrant for Special Town Meeting includes just two motions on which Town Meeting will be asked to weigh in.

Article 2, Motion 1 reads as follows, giving Town Meeting members a choice of three ways (A, B, or C via an electronic vote) to direct the Select Board on the MassBay matter:

OPTION A

That Town Meeting advise the Select Board to approve the framework proposed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in its April 13, 2026 letter to the Town for the disposition and development of the property located at 40 Oakland Street as follows:

a. development of 180 units;
b. concentrating development on and around the parking lot area (7 to 8 acres);
c. requiring the developer to deliver a conservation restriction to a qualified entity of the Town’s choosing on the remainder of the site (37 to 38 acres); and
d. requiring the developer to comply with inclusionary zoning requirements

OPTION B

That Town Meeting advise the Select Board, exercising its powers, discretion, and judgment, to negotiate with the Commonwealth for the disposition and development of the property located at 40 Oakland Street maximizing the benefits and minimizing the impact to the Town and emphasizing the following conditions as important to the Town:

a. that the development shall consist of multifamily housing and be located on or immediately adjacent to the existing parking area so as to minimize the overall footprint of disturbance;
b. that the developer offer a conservation restriction to be held by the Town on the remainder of the property so that it is permanently preserved as publicly accessible open space for passive recreation;
c. that the scale, massing, and architecture of the development be designed to blend in with its surroundings;
d. that the number of units be reduced to the greatest degree possible;
e. that a range of housing types be considered, including age-restricted/senior housing, workforce housing, and housing for the disabled;
f. that all parking for MassBay be removed from 40 Oakland Street;
g. that the Commonwealth assist the Town by improving circulation, ingress/egress and pedestrian safety along Oakland Street and turning movements at the Route 9 and Oakland Street intersection;
h. that the Commonwealth provide primary ingress and egress to and from the MassBay campus directly from Route 9;
i. that the development be subject to the Town’s Wetlands Protection Bylaw and Water Supply Protection Overlay District;
j. that the development comply with the Town’s Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw;
k. that the Town enter into a Development Agreement with the developer with binding conditions;

and further, that the Town preserves all available legal rights and options, including litigation.

OPTION C

That Town Meeting advise the Select Board to proceed directly to litigation against the Commonwealth on any legal issues available to the Town to challenge the disposition and development of the property located at 40 Oakland Street

The town’s appointed Advisory Committee, which vets articles and motions ahead of actual Town Meetings, voted largely in favor of Option B (see Wellesley Media recording of April 29 meeting).

Special Town Meeting Article 3, Motion 1 is a more straightforward, and binding motion focused on funding litigation:

That the Town transfer the sum of $900,000.00 (NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS) for legal and related professional services, said sum to be taken from Certified Free Cash and added to the amount appropriated to Select Board – Shared Services – 151 Law under Motion 2 of Article 8 of the Warrant for the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, said funds to be used only for matters related to 40 Oakland Street.

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Friday is letters-to-the-editor day—read what Wellesley Middle School students have to say

May 1, 2026 by Deborah Brown

Wellesley Middle School Social Studies students as part of a Civics Action Project have this week taken over The Swellesley Report‘s letters-to-the-editor page. The students are well-versed in their topics, have carefully researched all angles, and are ready to present their opinions to the community. Thank you to the WMS Social Studies teachers for organizing this community-based project.

Thanks to WMS Social Studies head Adam Blumer, and to the entire social studies department, for spearheading this important civics project.

We’ll publish several letters per week.

In this week’s letters from the middle schoolers:

A plea for improved food quality—Better school lunches, please (some salt might help)
Ending food insecurity in Wellesley—“One food drive at WMS is simply not enough”
Let’s not waste food, let’s donate it to help the community.
Talking trash: It’s time to implement a town-wide municipal garbage pickup system

You can see all the letters to the editor here.

How many Fridays are we going to encourage this display of civic involvement? For as many as it takes for the WMS Social Studies students to air their opinions.

Wellesley business buzz: Clarity Optical opens in Linden Square; Monster.com founder to headline Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast

May 1, 2026 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Clarity Optical opens in Linden Square

Clarity Optical has opened at 200K1 Linden St. in between LaserAway and FP Movement on the Roche Bros. side of the strip. The business focuses on eyewear and vision services for adults and children, in a boutique-like setting. Optometric services include exams, retinal imaging, dry eye treatment, treatment of infections and injuries, and more. The practice accepts multiple insurance plans.

Expand your reach (and support local news) by advertising on Swellesley.

Monster.com founder to headline Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast

The Charles River Regional Chamber’s annual Spring Business Breakfast returns on Friday, May 15 at Needham Sheraton Hotel, attracting business, nonprofit, and civic leaders from Newton, Needham, Watertown, Wellesley, Brookline.

Entrepreneur Jeff Taylor, a Needham High School graduate best known in the business world as
the founder of Monster.com, will talk about the challenges and opportunities in hiring and job hunting today. His latest talent marketplace venture is called Boomband.

The program will also feature a panel of Greater Boston nonprofit leaders discussing how the region is navigating
growing strain on the safety net — from federal funding cuts to inflation and other economic headwinds. Panelists
include reps from Spoonfuls, FamilyAid, and Cradles to Crayons.

The Charles River Regional Chamber’s Apring Business Breakfast begins with coffee and networking at 7am in the Sheraton courtyard. The
speaking program will begin at 8am. Tickets are available for $100 for Chamber members and $125 for non-members at www.charlesriverchamber.com.

Great spring running events in Wellesley (and beyond)

May 1, 2026 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

On your mark, get set, register! Spring is road race season, and Wellesley and area towns welcome runners of all talent levels for a host of runs. There’s still plenty of opportunity to train, so hop off that couch and put in the miles.

Don’t see your local road race listed here? Email theswellesleyreport@gmail.com for inclusion.

Wonder Run—Wellesley

DATE: Sunday, May 17, 2026
START LOCATION: Wellesley High School track, 50 Rice St.
DESCRIPTION: The Wonder Run is a celebrated part of Wellesley Wonderful Weekend. Sponsored by the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, hundreds of participants and great community support are anticipated again this year. Proceeds generated from the Wonder Run directly support community groups, scholarships for deserving local students, and grants to organizations and programs that provide education, enrichment, and essential services to the local population.
REGISTER HERE

[Read more…]

Deadly car crash in Wellesley Lower Falls under investigation

April 30, 2026 by admin Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Police Department is reporting that the driver of an SUV died on Tuesday after being involved in a one-car crash in Lower Falls.

According to the report, the vehicle appeared to have been traveling eastbound on Washington Street, then left the roadway at the intersection of Orchard Street before traveling a short distance and coming to a full stop back near 76 Washington St.

An officer, waved down at 11:18am by a person standing near the black vehicle but who said she was not involved in the accident, observed that the male driver was unconscious and unresponsive. The male party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital by the Natick Fire Department, which had a vehicle nearby at the time.

The driver was pronounced dead at the hospital; the victim’s identity is not being released at this time pending notification of next of kin.

Wellesley Police blocked off a section of Washington Street from Glen Road to Walnut Street while reconstructing the crash at the scene.

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