Rossland's Public Works Department was honoured with not one but two awards at the city council meeting Dec. 9.
Rossland Mayor Andy Morel was joined by Taryn Scollard, President of the Public Works Association of British Columbia (PWABC), via zoom in presenting Public Works Operations Manager Scott Lamont with the 2024 Public Works Week Provincial Celebration for communities under 25,000 for B.C., and the 2024 Public Works Week National Celebration for all communities under 24,000 in Canada.
"We (PWABC) are a bit of a nesting doll within the American and Canadian Public Works Association system, so it's extra exciting that Rossland won both the provincial as well as the national this year," said Scollard. "So I am thrilled to be joining you this evening to present to you those public works awards."
The honours were awarded Rossland public works staff for its Public Works Education Day event held on June 13.
"This initiative, Scott (Lamont) brought into our community, and it has been an incredible opportunity to educate our youth as to the value of our Public Works Department," said Mayor Morel.
The event invites the public and students to a hands-on learning experience about the importance of public works in their daily lives.
"It's a wonderful day spent with our elementary school kids from Rossland," said Morel. "Lots of big equipment, our water system, all those things are highlighted as far as an educational tool, and these awards are a real recognition of Scott and his staff's efforts of bringing public works into a much higher public capacity as far as knowledge."
This is the third year that the city celebrated Public Works Education Day, and invited Rossland’s Grade 4 students and the public to the yard to see first hand the diversity and complexity that goes into keeping a city running.
Participants learned about water treatment and system components, fire hydrant maintenance, horticulture, Roads, Parks and Fleet maintenance, GIS mapping systems, waste water treatment and general duties of public works employees and facilities management.
Scollard noted that the Public Works Day event is growing in popularity and being celebrated by more and more municipalities, which means the number of citizens exposed to the value of Public Works is also growing.
"One of our main goals is to educate the general public about the value and necessity of public works projects across the country, and the public works professionals as well, like the ones in your public works department here in Rossland, because they are the best ambassadors for the work we do."
Rossland Public Works also won the provincial celebration award in 2023.
"Congratulations City of Rossland, you have a lot to be proud of on the local, provincial, and national stage," added Scollard.
