As a City Council it is our mission to continually improve the quality of life in Abbotsford, but it’s not something we can do on our own.
Here at the City of Abbotsford we are fortunate to have skilled teams of workers responsible for delivering the key services we all rely on, like maintaining our roads, water, sewage and parks. Each year we highlight and celebrate those staff members during National Public Works Week, which runs from May 18 to 24.
On May 21, Mayor Siemens and Councillors Barkman, Driessen, Gibson, Loewen and Warkentin visited the City of Abbotsford Operations and Public Works Yard to express their thanks and appreciation to all the City staff who help keep Abbotsford running.
One of Council’s Strategic Goals is that our City services and programs be efficient and effective while providing excellent customer service experiences. To achieve this on our end we are continuing to review resource needs for our organization and modernize our City services, but it is the teams in the field who are literally doing the heavy lifting to provide the quality services that our residents expect of us.
This month we’ve been engaging young people to take an interest and learn more about the types of jobs we have at the City by offering civic career field trips to more than 700 Abbotsford School District students. Earlier this month Grade 2 and 3 students toured the Civic Precinct, making stops at places including the Abbotsford School District board office, Abbotsford Police Department, Abbotsford City Hall and Abbotsford Fire Rescue Services Firehall No. 1. At the end of May Grade 7 and 8 students will get their turn. It is our hope that these youth not only gain a greater understanding and appreciation for these careers, but perhaps see themselves in those roles as well.
Another important annual community recognition we are currently participating in is Emergency Preparedness Month. It’s a reminder of the importance of keeping your family, household or business safe and ready in the case of a disaster.
Having a plan and a kit stocked with necessities like food, water and medicine will give you fewer things to worry about in a crisis. And if we can be safe and proactive during an emergency, that gives our first responders the ability to direct their resources to those who need them most.
For information on how to be safe in an emergency, check out some of our online resources at abbotsford.ca/emergencyguides.
Whether it’s our staff looking out for us by keeping our roads clear and our water clean, or us looking out for ourselves by preparing for emergencies, we all have a role to play to promote safety in our community and make Abbotsford the best place it can be.
Abbotsford City Council