To end the summer reading program with all hands on deck the Prince George Public Library is once again hosting the ever-popular Touch a Truck event where little hands can explore big rigs, emergency vehicles, and heavy equipment like backhoes and graders that most kids only get to see up close in their sand boxes.
The super-sized event will be held in Canada Games Plaza from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday.
"So many kids are interested in big trucks and we always get questions asking for books on backhoes and fire trucks and monster trucks and this kind of thing and so we thought it would be fun - especially here in Prince George where we have space and access to lots of different kinds of trucks - to put on an event where kids can go in the back of an ambulance, and talk to a fire fighter, or chat with a tow truck driver," said Heather Gloster, children's librarian, who organized the fourth annual event. "It's been very, very popular and it's free and fun and families really enjoy it."
The library staff are hoping for great weather Friday so many families will attend, added Gloster.
Something new is on the extensive list of what kind of big vehicles can be seen at the Touch a Truck event this year. The Prince George Cougars will bring the team bus along for children to explore so they can see how the hockey players travel on their many road trips to attend out-of-town games.
There will also be a big rig with a sleeper on it so children can see how a long-haul trucker lives when he's on the road delivering goods to far-away destinations, added Gloster.
"So that will be really cool for kids to see and there will be a fire truck, as long as there's no emergency," said Gloster.
"The B.C. Ambulance always comes and they're always great. There's going to be a Zamboni, and garbage truck, as long as they're not too backed up. There's going to be a crane and a tandem cement mixer, a bucket tractor, a grader and Dodge always comes - so there will be lots of different things."
The community of big rig and heavy equipment operators are all volunteering their time to present their equipment during Touch a Truck so the event is free for everyone, added Gloster.
"So this is a really awesome community event," said Gloster.
"We've had a really great summer here with lots of children participating in the reading program. We'll be drawing the names of the winners of the summer reading challenge so the older kids will get to see who wins the iPod Nano and the little kids will see whose names are drawn for the two bikes up for grabs."
