WELLINGTON COUNTY – The County of Wellington is the winner of the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) National Public Works Week (NPWW) Awards Contest.
Wellington’s 2021 NPWW celebration competed for the award with other Canadian municipalities with populations over 100,000. Wellington also received two NPWW awards in 2019.
The 2021 NPWW award will be presented by the president of the CPWA Ontario Chapter (Ontario Public Works Association – OPWA), Enrico Stradiotto, during the Oct. 28 Wellington County council meeting.
Accepting the award will be Warden Kelly Linton.
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.
In May of each year, municipalities throughout the U.S. and Canada celebrate NPWW with open houses, project and facility tours, parades, education, media events, school visits, and career events. Municipalities also use the week to recognize their staff – the women and men who play such an important role in their community’s quality of life.
“National Public Works Week is a great way to increase public awareness about the critical role that public works plays in the delivery of important services to our communities,” said Stradiotto.
“Using new tools and approaches, Wellington did a great job showing residents and students what public works provides and how central these services are to Canadians.”
Like in other communities, NPWW celebrations in Wellington looked a lot different this year. County staff were challenged to reimagine their community outreach and public education and awareness efforts. Many events and activities that would have typically occurred in person, were held virtually.
County staff livestreamed the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and unique gateway sculpture feature at the newly constructed Badley Bridge – the first time the county had ever attempted a livestream event.
Staff also developed several videos highlighting the NPWW theme, “Stronger Together,” as well as a short video montage of various public works activities.
In addition, staff offered virtual classroom presentations to local schools about reducing food waste, the county’s new organics diversion program and how children can help manage organic waste at home and at school.
Staff included information about public works and NPWW and found this virtual tool so successful, county staff plan to continue using this format in the future.
“CPWA is honoured to recognize the County of Wellington’s efforts to celebrate National Public Works Week,” said Stradiotto.
“By highlighting infrastructure assets like the new Badley Bridge and services like the organics diversion programme, Wellington demonstrated how vital public works is – not just during National Public Works Week, but every week.”
