By Randy Maze
I talked this morning with Site Services. These people work tirelessly behind the scenes to allow the participants to have fun and OOS to focus on their duties, confident that the water will flow, the toilets will be pumped regularly, and the garbage/recycling will be picked up.
I talked to Gary about what they have done to get ready for PJ19. He said they spent 4 years getting ready for PJ 15, and they learned a lot. PJ19 has been much smoother because of the lessons learned, and the preparation work that they did. They started work on PJ 19 just after PJ 15 ended.
Examples of preparation work:
- The bridge on the Legacy Trail has been completely rebuilt;
- The bridge on the Legacy Trail has been completely rebuilt;
- The bridge leading to Valley of the Kings, Olympus, and the 2 activities nearby has been completely rebuilt;
- The road up to the lodges known as “cardiac hill” was rebuilt, using 100 tons of gravel;
- The stage for opening and closing; and
- New filters and ultraviolet purifiers, plus a generator in case of power failure, make sure our water is as pure as it can be.
These are just a few of the most obvious signs of their work. Perhaps most obviously, the subcamps would not be there except for Site Services. Gary wanted us to thank 5 Star Paving, Island Asphalt, and many others who have donated equipment and labour to help get the camp ready for PJ.
During PJ, the signs we all see are Andrew and his truck, clearing garbage and recycling as only he can. The trucks that pump out the Porta-Potties daily also come from Site Services. They clean and maintain the bathrooms and showers throughout the camp.
After PJ, they will stay on for about a week finishing up all their tasks, then take some well-earned rest. In September, their work will start again. The next time you see Andrew, or someone working on a road or water system, thank them.
