New Castle County Department of Public Works

06/11/2026

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲

Starting Monday, June 15, Public Works has engaged a contractor that will use large equipment to remove dead trees, and this work necessitates a dedicated work zone. For the safety of the public, this work zone will be off limits to the public, encompassing these areas of the park: the playground, pavilion, tennis court, bark parks, walking path and loop parking areas.

The anticipated duration of the closure is one day, and the affected areas of the park are expected to reopen on Tuesday, June 16, in the morning.

Signs have been posted throughout the park to notify visitors of the upcoming closure.

The main parking lot and athletic fields at the front of the park will remain open and available for use during this time.

For questions about the Talley Day Park temporary closure, email [email protected].

06/11/2026

Earlier this week, we posted about the winners of our Great Schools Clean Streams contest. We hand delivered checks to some of the schools in person, and got to see some of the prize money at work!

North Star Elementary won 3rd place in 2025. They told us that after a rain spell in early spring, they decided to fix some much-needed high traffic muddy areas on campus. Mrs. Benitez, North Star's MLL Teacher and Head Advisor of Earth Club, spearheaded the projects, calculating how many bags were needed to spread in various areas on campus. Different groups of students took part in putting down the rocks.

They tell us it has made such a difference on campus. North Star is eager to decide what is next for them, noting that several Earth Club members have expressed an interest in having more edible gardens.

The winning schools are encouraged, but not obligated, to spend their prize money on environmental projects, and we are so pleased to see how North Star is leveraging its resources.

To recap the contest:
Each spring, we ask schools to help us educate the public and invite guardians, friends and neighbors to become Clean Stream Champions.

They pledge to take five easy steps for clean water:
~𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐩 by collecting and properly disposing of pet waste
~𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 by using chemical-free fertilizers
~𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 by keeping debris out of stormwater drains
~𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬 by purchasing organic cleaning supplies
~𝐂𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 by disposing of cooking grease in the trash instead of the drain

All K-12 public, charter, private, and parochial schools in New Castle County were invited to participate. The schools that collected the most points won cash awards totaling $15,000.

We are grateful for schools and students becoming stewards of our clean streams. Together, we can keep millions of pounds of pollution out of our waterways.

Learn more: https://cleanstreamchampion.org/

06/11/2026

𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙋𝙤𝙥-𝙐𝙥, 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 11!

If you live or work nearby (New Castle), please join Public Works at 187A Old Churchmans Road for a food truck pop up.

𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓱 𝓟𝓸𝓾𝓹𝓮́𝓮 𝓒𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓮 will be serving from 11am-2pm.

Serving Curry Goat and Chicken, Oxtail Stew, Jerk Chicken, Baked Salmon, Fried Fish & more.

Don't want to wait? FPC welcomes pre-orders: (302) 265-0103. Learn more: instagram.com/FPcuisineinc

06/10/2026

Delawareans have been asked to voluntarily reduce nonessential water use due to drought conditions.

Luckily, more than 3,600 households have taken advantage of our semi-annual rain barrel sales--we offer very nice barrels to catch water from your downspout at a significant discount over retail!

Follow us on social media or message us to sign up for our emails -- we will announce future rain barrel sale dates in the coming months.

06/09/2026

Public Works had the privilege of delivering checks to a number of schools that won cash prizes in our annual Great Schools Clean Streams contest.

Each spring, we ask schools to help us educate the public and invite guardians, friends and neighbors to become Clean Stream Champions. They pledge to take five easy steps for clean water:

~𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐩 by collecting and properly disposing of pet waste
~𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 by using chemical-free fertilizers
~𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 by keeping debris out of stormwater drains
~𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐬 by purchasing organic cleaning supplies
~𝐂𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 by disposing of cooking grease in the trash instead of the drain

The 2026 contest resulted in 28,303 people committing to keeping our waterways clean, and a 7% increase over 2025 pledges. Each adult’s pledge was assigned to a New Castle County school of the pledger’s choice. Additionally, students could submit group photos, signed pledge posters and artwork for additional points.

All K-12 public, charter, private, and parochial schools in New Castle County were invited to participate. The schools that collected the most points won cash awards that can be applied to classroom materials or school projects. The following schools took home a combined $15,000 in cash prizes.

Schools with 600+ students:
1st place - North Star Elementary School ($1,500) [𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝]
2nd place - Odyssey Charter School ($1,000)
3rd place - Newark Charter School ($750)

Schools with 300-599 students:
1st place - Marbrook Elementary School ($1,500) [𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝]
2nd place - West Park Place Elementary School ($1,000) [𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝]
3rd place - Olive B. Loss Elementary School ($750)

Schools with fewer than 299 students:
1st place - Townsend Early Childhood Center ($1,500)
2nd place - Networks School for Employability Skills ($1,000)
3rd place - Saint Anthony of Padua Grade School ($750)

Schools that collected at least 50 pledges qualified for our $250 Wild Card prize drawing, 21 of which were chosen at random:
Alfred G. Waters Middle School
Baltz Elementary School
Carrcroft Elementary School
Christ the Teacher Catholic School
Conrad Schools of Science
Crystal Run Elementary School
Darul-Amaanah Academy
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School
Henry B. du Pont Middle School
Heritage Elementary School
Holy Angels Elementary School
John R. Downes Elementary School
Keene Elementary School
Las Americas ASPIRA Academy
Linden Hill Elementary School
Maple Lane Elementary School
Skyline Middle School
St. Elizabeth School
The Pilot School
Thurgood Marshall Elementary School
William Penn High School

We are grateful for schools and students becoming stewards of our clean streams. Together, we can keep millions of pounds of pollution out of our waterways.

Learn more: https://cleanstreamchampion.org/

06/04/2026

Today was the 10th annual World Environment Day Celebration in Delaware at Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, with the global theme .

Public Works hosted a table alongside 80+ exhibitors from local, state, federal agencies, private industry, schools, NGOs, and environmental organizations. Visitors participated in educational workshops and interactive displays on topics such as recycling, air quality, food waste, plastic bag bans, renewable energy, greener products, plastic pollution, watersheds, endangered species, electric vehicles, nuclear power, energy conservation, marine life and habitat, oil spill cleanup, and climate impacts.

Team members Becky, Stacy, Sarah and our Co-Op students ensured Public Works was well represented.

Thanks to the Delaware River and Bay Authority for the invitation.

06/01/2026

What a treat it was to celebrate National Public Works Week from May 17-23, 2026. Click the video to see and hear more.

We celebrated National Public Works Week from May 17-23, 2026! We k...

05/26/2026

A throwback to Public Works Week in 2022.

DYK? Public Works provides, maintains, and improves structures and assets that assure a higher quality of life for our community including 248 County Parks, 11 libraries, and over 1,100 fleet vehicles.

05/23/2026

Thanks to our colleagues in the executive office for capturing footage and stories from our National Public Works Week kickoff last Monday!

05/21/2026

As part of our celebration of National Public Works Week, today was selected to be our celebration day.

The idea was to go out and enjoy any of New Castle County's 251 regional parks, neighborhood parks and parcels. We envisioned it as a day full of sunglasses, Vitamin D and grounding.

Mother Nature had a different idea...grab a jacket and your galoshes!

And yet, our brave team member Sarah stepped onto the mulch with her mini this morning and sent us pics.