Meet the City Operations Team

1. Partnership

Adam Fratamico
Leading Hand, Streetscapes

Where’s your favourite place to work in the city?
I do enjoy working throughout Adelaide, but North Adelaide is one I’d choose. I’ve worked for many years landscaping and undertaking gardening maintenance throughout its streets. And it has great views of Adelaide!

What’s your typical day involve?
Early starts to beat the morning traffic for our day-to-day garden services. Working on median strips, roundabouts, islands, liaising with residents, business owners and all visitors to the city. During the day, planting, pruning, irrigation and other various work, also working on requests along the way.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
Recently, we completed a full upgrade and landscape of garden beds on Ward and Margaret Street, from design to installation. Another is Archer Street – seeing the canopy of trees that we had planted over 18 years ago grow and connect.

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
Preparing for the festive season around November – installing Christmas trees in Town Hall and fresh petunia trees in the main streets, adding colour to our vibrant city. We also prepare our gardens in high profile areas to be looking as green and clean for all to enjoy.

Alyce McKay
Acting Leading Hand, Squares

Where’s your favourite place to work in the city?
Hurtle Square would be my favourite place. It has a mixed feel of community and business. The square provides a variety of trees for shady comfort as well as lush green grass to sit on. I could just grab a coffee and enjoy watching the world go by.

What’s your typical day involve?
I don’t think there’s such a concept as a “typical” day. Working in horticulture provides me with various experiences – from lifting trees and spraying weeds, to mulching beds and hedging plants. No two days are the same. I find it enjoyable and I’m able to learn new skills each day.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
It would have to be rose pruning season. Most of our teams spend hours hand pruning many of our roses throughout the Park Lands in the middle of winter. However, when that first flush of flowers comes through in the spring, it makes it worth it.

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
This year it has changed significantly as I’ve moved into a team that’s responsible for the beautiful squares. We maintain and get them ready for events such as the Christmas pageant, the giant Christmas tree and other Christmas decorations.

David McKee
Facilities & Events Officer

What’s your favourite place to work in the city?
Park Lands, out in the open.

What’s your typical day involve?
It could involve any event bump in or out, or troubleshooting around the city.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
Wingfield landfill with the setting up of the transfer station and bringing the landfill to a close.

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
Christmas for us starts around March with the planning through to October when the tree goes up and all the decorations around the city.

How do you celebrate the festive season?
Relaxing at home with the family.

Jade Wilkey
Administration Assistant, Operations Support

Where’s your favourite place to work in the city?
The London Road Depot, the beating heart of our city.

What’s your typical day involve?
Due to the vast array of areas across City Operations, every day provides variety and something new. Supporting our hardworking field and office staff in daily administrative duties, helping coordinate our busy Events space to ensure activities throughout our wonderful city run smoothly, strengthening relationships with internal and external customers, implementing wellbeing initiatives to help create a positive and healthy working environment.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
The Peer Support Program. It’s a network of people who provide confidential support to fellow coworkers and volunteers, readily accessible in relation to discrimination, harassment, bullying matters, or those experiencing mental health or other personal issues.

How do you celebrate the festive season?
What better gift than the gift of giving. To help share the festive spirit to those in need, each year we gather kind donations and deliver to local South Australian charities. There’s extra special cheer this year for my husband Troy and I, celebrating our last Christmas as a family of two and welcome our next new adventure in 2024.

Juvencio Ferreira (Ted)
Leading Hand Public Conveniences, Waste and Cleansing

What’s your favourite place to work in the city?
North Adelaide and the River Torrens around Adelaide Oval.

What’s your typical day involve?
Meet and greet staff and set up the daily run. Check previous daily run sheets to report any required repairs or graffiti damage on toilets and BBQs. Liaise with the team leader and leading hands. Complete daily audits on toilets and BBQs and report findings to the team leader and staff. Order chemicals and materials if needed. Organise and assist staff with detail pressure cleans. Check and respond to emails. Respond to and complete pathways requests. Respond to staff requests and work needs.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
The Christmas Pageant.

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
My role remains the same, it just feels busier due to more visitors to the city and more events held in the Park Lands.

Mike Bailey
Work Group Leader, Trades Services

What’s your favourite place to work in the city?
Victoria Park.

What’s your typical day involve?
Talking to staff about current work and where we are at with it, then checking computer system that monitor the city assets. Checking emails, administration work, organising work and coordinating it, so it is getting done within the appropriate time frame. As they say, a city never shuts down, especially for my team.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
In 2014, being the project manager to upgrade the Victoria Square Christmas tree from festoon lighting to LED lighting, and being the first in the world to do this.

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
With the increase of events and people, the work load goes to a new level. But having a great team around who are trained in keeping the city going makes it easier.

Vince Gauro
Leading Hand Rundle Mall, Waste and Cleansing

What’s your favourite place to work in the city?
In and around Rundle Mall.

What does your typical day involve?
Meeting staff, checking bins, answering callouts.

What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on for the Council?
When council put the recycling and green bins in the mall

How does your role change in the lead up to Christmas?
Does not change, just gets more busy.

How do you celebrate the festive season?
With family.

This article was first published in print Issue 41 of CityMag, released in November 2023.