By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

April 28, 2014 -- The City of Santa Monica Public Work Department is celebrating National Public Works Week with the inaugural City Yards Open House on May 17 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Santa Monica City Yards, which is located at 2500 Michigan Ave.

This free event will educate the community about the many services Public Works provides, city officials said.

"Did you ever wonder who landscapes the City of Santa Monica parks, sweeps the streets, supplies the city with fresh, clean water or picks up the trash and recycling each week?" asked Erika Bustamante, the City's Senior Administrative Analyst, in a notice on the City's website. "These and many other important jobs are done by the City of Santa Monica Public Work Department employees."

The event will feature hands-on activities and displays, including several with a close-up look at the large trucks and machines used to build and maintain the City’s infrastructure, officials said.

Activities aimed at children will include watching a back hoe demonstration, meeting Curby the Recycling Robot, operating a recycling truck, painting an eco-mural with recycled paint from the City's Cans to Canvas program and meeting Rosie's Girls.

Guests will also learn about sustainable landscaping and the best ways to recycle with an interactive recycling trailer.

The event will be catered by food trucks, including Dog Town Dogs and the S’cream Ice Cream Truck. Santa Monica City Water Stations will be available to fill water bottles.

"[National Public Works Week] seeks to enhance the prestige of the often-unsung heroes of our society--the professionals who serve the public good every day with quiet dedication," Bustamante said. "Through NPWW and other efforts, [the American Public Works Association] seeks to raise the public's awareness of public works issues and to increase confidence in public works employees who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for present and future generations."

National Public Works Week is observed each year during the third full week of May.

For more information, visit smgov.net/departments/publicworks and the City’s Facebook page at facebook.com/#!/cityofsantamonica.