Mayor Clive Tolley joined Moose Jaw Public Works employees at the city’s High Service Reservoir Pumphouse on May 9 to officially proclaim National Public Works Week, honouring the role of the department in keeping essential services running. 

“Whereas public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life, and the well-being of the people of Moose Jaw,” Tolley read. 

“And whereas these infrastructures, facilities, and services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of public works professionals, who are engineers, managers, and employees at all levels of government ... I, Clive Tolley, Mayor of the City of Moose Jaw, do hereby proclaim the week of May 19 to 25, 2024 as National Public Works Week.” 

As part of the proclamation, Tolley urged all residents of Moose Jaw to join in activities planned for the week. 

“I think that there’s a special event going down at our city yards on the 22nd, which you’ll get more coverage on as (time) goes by,” he added. “But I think it is essential this week to honour our public works people.”

Numerous services and infrastructure fall under the umbrella of Public Works, 
including: 
- Streets and roads
- Bridges
- Water and wastewater
- Public transportation
- Parks and green space maintenance
- Facility maintenance

The High Service Reservoir Pumphouse was dedicated in 2022, making it one of Moose Jaw’s most modern, efficient facilities. It is meant to ensure a reliable supply of clean drinking water to the city for the next 50 years.  

Staci Dobrescu, Manager of Public Works and Utilities, said Moose Jaw has been celebrating National Public Works Week for about seven or eight years.  

“As the years have gone by, we’ve actually brought it more to the forefront, to ensure that the public knows what we do,” she said. “A lot of people ... don’t know what we do and the purpose of a lot of the equipment we use or how it betters their daily life. 

“We are inviting all of the community to come down and join us on Wednesday, May 22, to our open house.” 

The open house is at the City Yards at 1010 High St. West from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 22. 

There will be loads of city equipment, Dobrescu explained, and operators will be there to explain their uses and functions to the public, particularly the hundreds of children they are expecting. 

There will also be representatives from other city departments because, as Dobrescu noted, Public Works is one of the fundamental jobs of government. That means they receive support and involvement from almost every department, from Information Technology to Financial Services to Operations. 

“Kids, residents, anyone is welcome to come — and ask the questions! These people do want to tell you what they do and how important it is to them. 

“And we know how important it is to the community, because it does create your quality of life.”

In the cover photo with Mayor Tolley are:

  • Staci Dobrescu (Manager of Public Works and Utilities)
  • Krysti Johre (Manager of Transit and Procurement)
  • Jason Casemore (Public Works Supervisor - Wastewater Treatment)
  • Jason Trzaskowski (Public Works Supervisor - Water and Wastewater)
  • Jesse Watamanuk (Public Works Supervisor - Environmental Services)
  • Jessica Craig (Water GUM)
  • Andrew Westermann (Public Works Supervisor - Roadways)
  • Breton Wood (Crew Lead Environmental Services)
  • Devin Foster (General Utilities - Streets and Roads)
  • Aimee Bulwer (Parks and Open Space Supervisor) 
  • Arla Parr (General Utilities Person)
  • Justine Deets (General Utilities Person)
  • Dru Rogers (Water and Wastewater Treatment Operator)
  • Bryce Crosbie (Water and Wastewater Treatment Operator Operator)