Cold Lake, AB – The Canadian Public Works Association has selected the City of Cold Lake as the winner of the 2021 National Public Works Week Award in the category of municipalities with populations under 25,000.

National Public Works Week is held each May to recognize and bring awareness to the important work done by the professionals who provide services and maintain infrastructure to deliver important services to residents. The City was presented with the award at the November 23 City Council meeting.

“The reviewers who review the entries are from all across Canada and they were just so impressed with the City of Cold Lake and all of the great things you did to think outside the box during the pandemic to celebrate Public Works,” said Patty Podoborozny, Past President of the Canadian Public Works Association. “We commend all of your City staff who knocked it out of the park to make this week such a great success.”

From May 16-22, 2021, the City held several events and challenges to engage and encourage the community to recognize and learn about Public Works. Along with a Public Works Week flag raising ceremony at City Hall and daily “Spirit Week” challenges, events included:

• Public Works Week Food Drive to support the Cold Lake Food Bank
• Community Clean-up
• Paint the Plow contest for local schools
• Name the Street Sweeper contest
• Sketch a Shelter contest
• Public Works buildings QR code scavenger hunt

“We’re so proud of the professional men and women who make up the City of Cold Lake’s public works departments,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “We sometimes take the important work they do for granted, but without them, the streets wouldn’t get plowed, the buses would not run, and there would be no safe drinking water when you turn on the tap. We thank you for what you do, and congratulations on this well-deserved award.”

The City of Cold Lake also received the National Public Works Week award in 2016 and 2017.

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