Kitchener celebrates the public works professionals who support our community all year long

Kitchener, Ontario – May 18 to 24 is National Public Works Week, celebrating the important roles public works professionals play in supporting communities across the country. In Kitchener, our public works staff play important roles in giving us safe roads to travel on; clean, running water; flushing toilets and effective sewer systems; treated stormwater; natural gas that keeps our homes warm; public buildings; parks and spaces to enjoy; emergency responders to keep us safe; a city that grows and improves to meet our needs; and more. Even though their work is often behind the scenes, our city couldn’t run without them!

“Kitchener’s public works teams deliver essential services every day that help our community thrive,” said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “I see first-hand how hard they work to bring our city and its residents the services we all need. Beyond that, I see how passionate our public works teams are about the role they play in our community. We often don’t see or appreciate the importance of their work until something goes wrong, but they’re working tirelessly every day to make our city functional, safe and connected. I hope everyone will join me this week in thanking our public works professionals for all they do.”

This year's theme for Public Works Week – People, Purpose, Presence – highlights that the core of public works is public works professionals' connection to the residents they serve. Meeting the needs of the community gives these teams a strong sense of purpose. While public works staff often work in the background and may never meet many of the people they support, they are ever-present, working to make sure our community continues to run smoothly to support you and your family. Kitchener public workers care about our community and deliver important services that make our city a great place to live, work and play.

Did you know that Kitchener’s public works teams operate, maintain and care for:

• 2,128 lane km of roads (928 km centreline length)

To learn more about what Kitchener’s public works teams do every day, come meet them and dive into the exciting world of public works at our Open House and Family Fun Night. This Wednesday, May 21, join us at the Kitchener Operations Facility (131 Goodrich Drive) from 5 to 8 p.m. See the City’s fleet of vehicles and equipment, enjoy free games and activities, talk to our public works staff and get a first-hand look at their work, have your face painted, pick up a ballon animal, enter to win a prize, and more. Local food trucks will be on-site with food for purchase, so gather the whole family and plan a fun night out.

Learn more at kitchener.ca/PublicWorksWeek.

For more information:

Krystin Scheels
Communications and Marketing Associate
City of Kitchener

media@kitchener.ca