District of Squamish Wins National Public Works Week Award

OTTAWA, ON. – The Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) has announced that British Columbia’s District of Squamish has been selected to receive the highest award for their May, 2013 National Public Works Week (NPWW) celebration. The District of Squamish was honored by CPWA with the First Place award in the “Small Centre” category of municipalities with population less than 75,000. The award was presented to the Squamish Operations Department by British Columbia Public Works Association Past-President, Murray Steer, manager of equipment services for the City of Vancouver during the Squamish Council Meeting on November 26, 2013.

“For the selection of the NPWW ‘Small Centre First Place’ award, CPWA recognizes the excellence of the District of Squamish’s National Public Works Week Community Celebration events and activities.  Their education event included an open house that hosted community members, the Mayor, and school children at the public works facility for tours and demonstrations of public works services. It provided a unique opportunity to meet ‘face to face’ with the public works professionals who provide those services,” said Steer.

Other aspects of Squamish’s NPWW Celebration included public outreach through the Public Information team, who implemented an extensive media campaign that included webpage, newspapers and Facebook page communications about the celebration, as well as staff emails. For the NPWW event, staff were involved in the Open House, and helped organize the events beforehand. In addition, the Council proclaimed Public Works Week and the Mayor opened Public Works day with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. A charity event was included, as well as the promotion of public works as a career choice for the working force of the future.

“This was a community awareness opportunity to highlight for our citizens the important work that public works does every day to contribute to the quality of life in our community,” said Director of Operations for the District, Bob Smith. “It was important for us to get our staff involved in this event, and for them to recognize the significance of their own jobs and the services they provide. The promotion of public works as a career choice is also a significant aim of the event. This event was another indication of the great teamwork that is shown in our department each day,” he added.

Celebrated in May each year, National Public Works Week annually recognizes the tens of thousands of men and women in North America who provide and maintain the infrastructure and services collectively known as public works.  The 2013 theme for NPWW was:  “Because of public works..” and was recognized by British Columbia Premier Christy Clark who proclaimed the week of May 19-26 as National Public Works Week in British Columbia.

For more information about CPWA/APWA, or the National Public Works Week program, please visit the website at www.apwa.net.

Pictured in photo: Acting Mayor Patricia Heintzman, Juliana Chadwick of the District's Operations team, BC Public Works Association Past-President, Murray Steer, and the District's Director of Operations Bob Smith.

ABOUT CPWA

The Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) is an organization of 2,000 public works professionals in Canada active in chapters in each province and members of the American Public Works Association, which has more than 28,500 members in the U.S. and Canada. Founded in 1986, the Canadian Public Works Association (www.cpwa.net) is the voice of public works in Canada, promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy and the exchange of knowledge.

November 27, 2013