Christopher Pitts - President

When I first helped bring this council into existence, one of my goals was to begin serious future planning for Waban. The Future Planning Working Group held meetings and events for three years culminating in the survey published on this website and shared with the city. I am a firm believer that no matter the issue, having good intel and planning is far better than reacting, or is often the case, having no plan at all. The participation of educated, passionate, and curious Wabanites with various expertises was profoundly informative and rewarding. Click here to visit the Waban Future Plan.

I was involved with all the 4 Area Councils debates over the last 6 years and produced videos for each of the events - except when I was a candidate for City Council in 2016.

My goals this year:

Better communications: WAC website, Google list, facebook, Waban Next Door, printed mailings, coordinating with WIS and WLC, campaign to get every Waban resident on our email list
Informational forums

Learning Plan:

Zoning and interdependencies
Alternative energy technologies
Sustainability and regenerative practices
Open space, green space, fresh waterfront
Community and land trusts

I moved to Waban with my wife and 2 preschoolers in early 2001, and have been active in the community ever since.

My first community involvement was to launch the effort to build a newer, safer playground at Warren Lincoln field. A group of neighbors got together and raised $52,000, and over 50 volunteers showed up to build the popular structures that exist today. As a result of that experience and my love of this community, I joined the Waban Improvement Society board.

I've been an active Waban Improvement Society (WIS) board member for over 10 years, and devoted my energies to: 1) conceptualizing and contributing to Waban Village Day; 2) advocating to keep the branch library open; and 3) creating and maintaining the WIS web site, launching the Annual Newton Piano Summit, among other things.

I joined the committee to create the Waban Area Council (WAC) in 2013, and along with the "original team of six" worked with the city and the other neighborhood councils, established a vision, and hit the pavement to gain the 1000 signatures needed to get the names on the ballot. I created and maintain the WAC web site, and maintain the WAC Facebook page. I look forward to continue the social media outreach and to continue to represent our concerns to the city -- whether the issues are related to zoning, housing, parking meters, traffic, etc. -- and to prod the city to take effective action. I would like to see Waban remain the wonderful and culturally rich place that it is today.

I am am also very much involved with culture in Newton and I currently serve as the co-chair of the Newton Cultural Council and chair of the Festival of the Arts.

My professional skills as a producer of online learning, concerts, and fundraisers, as well as my skills as a performing artist and webmaster offer a good balance to the other members of the council.