Lankenau resigns, Germantown connections, swing bridge, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

City’s top sustainability official steps down. Elizabeth Lankenau, Director of the Office of Sustainability (OOS) in Philadelphia, resigned on November 2. Lankenau oversaw four OOS divisions, including Climate Resilience, Energy and Climate Solutions, Environmental Justice and Policy, and Strategic Initiatives. Christopher Puchalsky, who leads the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, is temporarily covering Lankenau’s duties. The Philadelphia Inquirer + Green Philly

Parks group builds Germantown connections.  The Friends of the Wissahickon cut the ribbon on Phase I of the Germantown Neighborhood Connection Project on Tuesday. The project is a $450,000 capital investment to increase accessibility and pedestrian safety from Germantown into the Wissahickon Valley Park. This first phase resulted in much-needed upgrades to sidewalks, wayfinding signage, and native tree plantings. 

Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge opens Friday. The highly anticipated Schuylkill Crossing Swing Bridge is set to open to the public starting this weekend. City officials and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation will officially cut the ribbon on this new connection between Southwest Philadelphia and Grays Ferry on Friday afternoon. A community celebration is scheduled for the following Saturday. Billy Penn  

Fall cleaning program commences. Last week, the Parker administration announced the launch of its twice-annual citywide cleanup happening throughout the end of the fall and beginning of winter. Over a 13-week period, the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives will deploy cleanup crews to every neighborhood across the city. Crews will address issues like chronic dumping, graffiti removal, and street sweeping. 6abc     

Local nonprofit helps build pollinator gardens. Local nonprofit Journeywork helps homeowners in Philadelphia build their own native plant gardens. Journeywork opened its fall program, Pollinator Palooza, which provides native plants and a mapping tool to help participants build their gardens. The program is open through November 20. WHYY

Energy bill assistance program reopens. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) reopened for applications for the 2026-2027 season. LIHEAP provides one-time cash grants directly to utility or fuel providers for eligible households. Utility bills are rising due to increased energy demands and restraints on renewable energy production. WILK News

Cover photo: Councilmember Cindy Bass speaks at ribbon cutting for Phase I of the Germantown Neighborhood Connection Project, by Friends of the Wissahickon