Celebrate National Public Works Week with the Town of Newmarket from May 18 to 24. During the week and every day, we honour our Public Works Services and Parks and Facility staff who work in this essential profession. This year’s theme “People, Purpose, Presence” reflects the three core principles that inspire Public Works staff to serve their communities with dedication each day. 

Happy National Public Works Week to Newmarket staff and to all professionals in the field,” says Mayor John Taylor. “Public Works plays an essential role in delivering the services our residents rely on, and their efforts are a key reason why Newmarket remains one of the most desirable places to live in Canada. Day in and day out—rain, snow, or shine—our Public Works, Parks, and Facilities staff work tirelessly behind the scenes to enhance our quality of life. If you see them out in the community, please take a moment to thank them for their dedication and service.”     

Did you know? The Public Works and Parks and Facility Services departments are responsible for:  

• Maintaining over 44 km of trails, over 45 active parks, 800 acres of parkland, 624 km of roads (both directions), 364 km of sidewalks and 309 km of watermains and 284 km of sanitary sewer mains.  
• Ensuring our parks, facilities and sport fields are ready for use by the community and sport groups. 
• Helping to support the Town’s events through set-up and teardown, including road closures, clean-up and garbage removal.  
• Performing winter maintenance (road and sidewalk snow plowing/salting) to ensure residents can get to their destination safely.   
• Maintaining Newmarket’s tree canopy through planting, pruning and strategies to increase the longevity of the trees while caring for the Town’s natural heritage.  
• Coordinating utility construction works with other levels of government and private entities to limit disruptions to the community as much as possible.  
• Creating an even greener and sustainable Newmarket through its waste and recycling programs and initiatives and more.

Get to know Public Works and Parks and Facility department even more with these 10 fun facts:    

1. Our water and wastewater team takes care of 4,547 water valves and 2,371 fire hydrants and collects 26 water samples every week - testing for E. coli, bacteria, and other contaminants to make sure our community's water stays clean and safe. They also manage 318 km of water mains, 283.75 km of sewer lines, 27,000 water meter accounts, approximately 2,370 municipally owned fire hydrants and 30 water sampling stations. 
2. In 2024, winter didn't hold back, hitting Newmarket with 54 snow events. Our team hauled away 735 single axle loads of snow from our cul-de-sacs and streets which equals to 4,410 tonnes of snow! During each snow event, to ensure the roads stayed safe and slip-free, crews spread 70 tonnes of Thawrox (salt) – that's approximately the weight of 12 full-grown elephants! 
3. Our fleet team of mechanics are the pros working behind the scenes to keep everything in motion - from snowplows and sidewalk snowplows to cars, trucks, lawn mowers, Zambonis, and even the Central York Fire Services vehicles! They're always on the job, making sure the Town of Newmarket's fleet is ready for action! 
4. Our Public Works staff collected 8.6 tonnes of e-waste and 615 lbs of batteries at the 2024 Electronics & Recycling Events! Items diverted will help save energy, reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.  
5. Since 2022, our Roads crew has repaired an average of 2,976 potholes a year.  
6. Every winter, our facilities team resurfaces over 61.2 million square feet of ice each season - that's like taking 594 round trips from Mulock Drive to Green Lane. 
7. Our Parks team helped set up and tear down 90+ Town and community events, putting in over 6,200 hours of behind-the-scenes work to make sure everyone had an unforgettable time at our award-winning events!  
8. Horticulture Staff planted 3,000 bulbs and will be adding colourful pollinator gardens along with pollinator planters on select islands across Town. It's all part of our buzz-worthy mission to keep thriving as the 14th Bee City in Canada! 
9. In 2024, our Forestry team pruned 3,600 trees, planted 686 trees and shrubs, while also sprucing up the town with 12,000 vibrant annuals, and keeping 670 flower-filled hanging baskets looking fabulous!  
10. Our Parks team is responsible for maintaining over 800 acres of grass cutting, ensuring that our parks are always picture-perfect! They also carry out 60 playground inspections each month to keep everything safe and fun for everyone who visits.