Celebrate National Public Works Week with us!

Bring the entire family for fun, free activities at the Joint Operations Centre on May 25

The City of Vaughan’s Public Works professionals keep our community clean, safe and beautiful 365 days a year through a variety of programs and services. To recognize this team of 425 dedicated staff, the City is celebrating National Public Works Week from May 19 to 25 – and you’re invited to join in!

This year’s theme is “Advancing Quality of Life for All,” which shines a spotlight on how this amazing group of people contributes to our quality of life – from repairing potholes and cutting grass, to collecting waste and providing safe drinking water, among many other services.

You’re invited to join us – rain or shine – for a day of family-friendly activities on Saturday, May 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Joint Operations Centre (2800 Rutherford Rd.). During the event, you can:

• admire some of the City’s fleet vehicles, like snowplows and streetsweepers.
• donate your textiles at our clothing donation bin.
• drop off a non-perishable food item for the Vaughan Food Bank. 
• enjoy a FREE ice cream or slushie (one per person while supplies last).
• exchange damaged City-issued blue boxes and green bins or purchase new ones.
• fill up your reusable water bottle at the City’s water truck.
• get your face painted for FREE.
• jump, climb and slide your way through an inflatable obstacle course (participants must be between 36 to 80 inches, or 91 to 203 centimetres tall).
• meet and greet animals from Reptilia Zoo.
• pick up FREE mulch (up to three bags per vehicle; bags will be prefilled and provided by the City).
• step right up to fun at our inflatable carnival game booth.
• watch live entertainment.
• and more! 

If you are unable to attend the open house, there will be an additional mulch giveaway taking place at the Joint Operations Centre on Friday, May 24 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

To kick off the week-long celebrations, the City will raise the National Public Works Week flag and illuminate Vaughan City Hall in orange on Tuesday, May 21. 

The City’s Public Works team is made up of three departments: Environmental Services; Transportation and Fleet Management Services; and Parks, Forestry and Horticulture Operations. Together, they provide forestry and horticulture services; management of all City vehicles and equipment; management of garbage, recycling, organics, and leaf and yard waste collection; maintenance of municipal roads, sidewalks and pathways; inclusive of winter maintenance; maintenance of parks, boulevards and open spaces; traffic services and administration of the school crossing guard program and water distribution, wastewater collection and stormwater management services

Since 1960, the third week in May has been celebrated as National Public Works Week in Canada. Municipalities across the country use this week to educate, engage and inform the public about the essential role public works professionals play in the quality of life in their community.

For more information on National Public Works Week in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/PublicWorksWeek. 

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