Waltham Public Schools Canceled, Parking Ban Ahead Of Snowstorm

WALTHAM, MA — No, you can't park your car there. And while we're at it there will be no school. In addition to announcing public schools will be cancelled for Thursday, the folks at Waltham City Hall have declared a snow emergency and a parking ban for the city. This means no parking on street beginning 7 a.m. Thursday or you may get towed. Why? There's a blizzard ahead: Here's what the meteorologists are saying about how much.

Waltham is one of the first cities in the Greater Boston area to declare a snow emergency, announcing it just before 11 a.m. Waltham City Hall and all administrative offices will be closed Thursday, January 4.

For those who rely on street parking, or can't park in a driveway you can park in any municipal or school parking lots, including lots on Carter, Chestnut, Church, Crescent, Spruce and Walnut streets, City Hall, and the Central Square parking deck, Embassy parking facility, and the railroad lot.

After the ban is lifted, residents have two hours to get their cars from school lots and four hours to remove cars from municipal lots before someone will come around with a ticket and a tow truck.

What about schools? That will have to wait. Superintendent of Waltham Public Schools Drew Echelson said he'd be starting to look at the data around 4 p.m. But no promises.

With weather this extreme, this is the time to check in on your neighbors, warn officials.

The Community Day Center on Felton Street, the only drop-in shelter in the Metrowest has been forced to close after pipes froze Wednesday. Operations will move over to the Bright School on Grove Street beginning Thursday. The shelter is accepting donations at the Bright School.

Previously on Patch:

MA Blizzard Forecast: A Winter Hurricane Headed Our Way

Massachusetts School Closings For Jan. 4 Blizzard

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch