Philadelphia's streets are looking cleaner thanks to the city's latest initiative. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, together with state and city officials, recently celebrated the success of the One Philly, United City Citywide Cleaning Program. Detailed in a Philadelphia government publication, the program has completed upwards of 61,000 quality-of-life services across every neighborhood during its 13-week stretch ending August 30.
Working across more than a dozen city departments, the initiative tackled chronic urban issues such as litter, graffiti, and abandoned vehicles. "This all-hands-on-deck effort is the perfect example of intergovernmental collaboration with departments working to create a government every resident can see, touch, and feel," Mayor Parker stated. She added, committing to continuous clean-up, "We made a massive impact on our city, but we are not done." More efforts from the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives are anticipated to help fulfill Parker's vision of a city that embodies safety, cleanliness, and opportunity for all citizens.
In thanks for their dedication, employees were honored with a celebration barbeque at the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) Office. Carlton Williams, Director of Clean and Green Initiatives, shared his gratitude in a statement, "I want to thank each and every department and supporting agency that contributed to this massive effort to address multiple quality-of-life issues that impact neighborhoods across the city." In light of the program's success, Williams confirmed that the initiative's comprehensive cleaning approach would carry on routinely, with two detailed cleanings planned annually for each neighborhood.
During the celebration, officials unveiled newly designed Big Belly litter baskets decked with cigarette litter features. Mayor Parker's budget allocated funds for these solar-powered, compacting trash receptacles – the count of which has effectively doubled the number of Big Bellies in the city. These units are slated for installation along commercial corridors and areas with high foot traffic, intended to facilitate waste and recycling disposable for pedestrians.
Looking ahead, the city officials also disclosed the coming phase of sanitation projects expected to sustain the momentum of the massive clean-up. Launching in September, the Council District Residential Cleaning Program, featuring crews dedicated to each of the 10 Council Districts, will roll out to provide specialized cleaning services daily. Later in the fall, neighborhoods will see phased introductions of twice-per-week collections, with further programming details set to be released later in the month.
