MERIDEN — The city’s celebration of National Public Works Week will include a food drive and truck parade.
“Public Works Week is a time to thank each and every staff member from Public Works, Public Utilities and Parks and Recreation for their services,” Mayor Kevin Scarpati said in a press release. “The hard work done by our staff is vital to the quality of life and well-being of the people of Meriden.”
National Public Works Week, organized by the American Public Works Association, begins Sunday and runs through Saturday.
The city’s Public Works Director Howard Weissberg said it has been a “challenging” year for all municipal employees, including public works.
“It’s a recognition of all of the efforts put together by a lot of people,” he said. “They do a lot of work behind the scenes but don’t always get the recognition that other first responders do.”
Starting Sunday there will be a Fill-A-Truck food drive at City Hall, Hubbard Park, the Parks and Recreation building and the city’s Transfer Station. Non-perishable goods will be collected through Saturday. All items will go to the Meriden Soup Kitchen.
Starting Monday night, the bridge over the Meriden green will be lit in orange in honor of National Public Works Week. From Tuesday to Thursday residents will be able to vie “Day in the Life” photos and videos of staff on the city’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
“This week is for the employees that manage the city’s infrastructure, make the roads safe, make the parks attractive, and keep the water/waste system safe and effective,” Weissberg said.
Weissberg will emcee a Truck Parade on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Meriden Green. The public works trucks will travel down Pratt Street and up State Street. There will also be a Name-A-Truck contest.
“Naming of trucks will help raise awareness to the functions of the Public Works departments in the City of Meriden and all the work they do,” Weissberg said in a press release. “Increased awareness will help to engage the citizens of Meriden in the need to protect our environment.”
Students in kindergarten through second grade will color a truck and submit a suggestion for a truck name.
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