PRESS RELEASE - Public Works Week 2017 - Open Houses & Project Tours

For immediate release: April 24, 2017

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

PUBLIC WORKS WEEK 2017: OPEN HOUSES AND PROJECT TOURS

Hands-on activities with our trades workers, architects and engineers

San Francisco, CA – Hundreds of students will participate in Public Works Week 2017 to learn firsthand about careers in the trades, architecture and engineering.

The annual event, held this year April 24 through April 28, celebrates San Francisco Public Works’ partnerships with the community, highlights our projects and services and gives residents an inside look at the work it takes to care for our city.

On Wednesday morning, our Operations Yard will host an open house for more than 300 young people that will feature demonstrations and information about training programs and careers in the trades, including metalworking, plumbing, carpentry and electrical work.

Participants also will get hands-on experience – building planter boxes and filling them with herbs and flowers, crafting tool boxes in our metal shop, filling potholes, painting out graffiti, riding sky-high in bucket trucks and climbing into a training sewer.

On Thursday morning, Public Works architects and engineers will host 100 fourth, fifth and sixth graders where they will build model cities and test them for earthquake resiliency on special “shake tables.”

Special arrangements can be made for members of the media interested in attending the open houses.

“We’re a boots-on-the-ground, 24/7 operation that at its core is about people – people working on behalf of the people of San Francisco,” said Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. “Public Works Week is a great opportunity to showcase our projects and programs and introduce our youngest generations about interesting and important careers in public works.”

The Board of Supervisors declared the week of April 24, 2017 as Public Works Week 2017 in the City and County of San Francisco.

Throughout the weeklong celebration, Public Works will lead public tours of featured projects and facilities, including our Materials Testing Lab, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the Moscone Expansion Project, tiled staircases and the Transbay Terminal. Reservations are required. Sign up at http://sfpublicworks.org/about/public-works-week.

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