Valley Pre-School Makes Annual Trip to Granby Public Works

Children from the Valley Pre-School in Granby witnessed just what it takes to keep the town clean, safe and beautiful with a field trip to the Granby Public Works Department on Wednesday morning. 

From police cars and street signs to composters and loaders, the children got a behind-the-scenes tour of the facility and the heavy machinery that the crews use regularly. 

The trip even included the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of a dump truck, and the inevitable opportunity to honk the horn. 

“We’ve come for years,” said Nannie Brown, a teacher at the pre-school. “They love this trip.”

Deputy Director of Operations Kirk Severance said the preschool children have come for at least 10 years, if not more. Children from the in town have also toured the facility, he said. 

In addition to viewing all of the heavy machinery, the children learned about recycling and the fact that the public works department takes care of the town’s police cars.

“A lot of people don’t know that we maintain the cruisers,” Severance said. 

Public works employees sounded the police siren and popped the hood of the car for the children to inspect its engine. 

Upstairs in the garage, the children learned about street, crosswalk and speed limit signs.

“Why do you suppose we need to have signs,” Brown asked the group of children.

“You would get lost,” replied one child. 

And when the crew showed the children a ‘Welcome to Granby’ sign, a number of children exclaimed, “I live in Granby.”

The field trip was rounded off with a visit outside, where the children watched sand dumped into a dump truck. The children then witnessed the truck dump unload the sand onto the ground, which prompted many "ohs" and "ahs" from the group. 

With the field trip to public works under their belt, Brown said the children will prepare a snack for the public works crew on Friday as a thank you for letting them tour the garage. The snack of choice, Brown said, is monkey bread because “it looks like a big pile of sand.”

Although many of the children were saddened to leave the trucks and plows behind, it was clear that the trip was enjoyed by all. 

“They were looking forward to it very much,” said Juanita Meyers, who accompanied her daughter Natalia on the field trip. 

And, she said, “It’s good that they know who helps the town be a nicer place.”