The City’s public works vehicles are a common sight for residents all year-round. In the winter, plows and salt trucks slice through fresh snow and ice, clearing the way for the rest of us to go about our daily lives safely. Street sweepers clean away a winter’s worth of dust and debris. Garbage trucks collect our waste, forestry workers maintain our tree canopy and clear debris after major storms, parks maintenance installs recreational structures, and cranes and related vehicles help protect our water and wastewater systems. Together, these everyday occurrences protect the City’s $70 billion in infrastructure assets.
In just a couple of weeks, residents will be able to take a closer look at these fascinating machines and learn more about the people who pilot them.
The Public Works Big Wheels Expo
On Sunday, June 4, the City of Ottawa is hosting the Public Works Big Wheels Expo, a free event to shed light on what puts the ‘work’ in ‘public works.’ People will be able to take a look inside these machines and learn about how they work. The event will include vehicles such as a garbage truck, a 25-ton rock truck, a road painting truck, a traffic signal display, a sidewalk sweeper, a hydraulic crane truck, and much more.
Date: Sunday, June 4 - Ottawa Titans gameday at 1 pm
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Location: Ottawa Stadium, 300 Coventry Road
Cost: FREE
Bike parking is available and the event can be accessed via transit. To determine the best public transit route for you, please consult the OC Transpo Travel Planner. Parking is also available at Ottawa Stadium for $7 if paid on the app or $8 in person. Cash is not accepted.
Consider making a day of it and attending the Ottawa Titans 1 pm game at the same time; the first 100 visitors to the Big Wheels Expo will be offered free tickets to the Titans’ matinee game.
National Public Works Week
The Public Works Big Wheels Expo follows National Public Works Week, which is taking place from Sunday, May 21 to Saturday, May 27. This year, we are celebrating the role that public works professionals have in connecting us all. These highly skilled and specialized staff are responsible for maintaining, operating, building and renewing important infrastructure that we all rely on every single day. They improve and protect our city’s traffic and transportation, water supply, waste systems, public buildings, parks and natural assets, and other structures and facilities. Their work is essential to the quality of life we all enjoy.
We hope that you will join us in celebrating our public works professionals both during National Public Works Week and at the Big Wheels Expo. Come meet the fleet.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram