This Monday, Jan. 20, we are celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Day. To honor his legacy, special events and volunteer opportunities have been scheduled in West Philadelphia by local groups and organizations.

A street renaming and awards ceremony in honor of Dr. King will take place on Monday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at 40th and Lancaster, the exact place where he delivered a historic speech on August 3, 1965. More than 10,000 people came to listen to Dr. King speak on that day. To commemorate this event, a historical marker and a mural were unveiled at the intersection of 40th Street and Lancaster and Haverford Avenues in 2010, but this Monday, community members are invited to celebrate the renaming of the triangle to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Triangle. The ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. and feature the following speakers:

• Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District)
• Jim Brown, community leader who led the effort to rename the street
• Joe Walker, community leader who has been leading the effort to memorialize this site since 2009
• Community leaders, faith leaders, neighbors

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Walnut Street bike lane near 44th St. (November, 2024). (Photo: West Philly Local)

There are some dangerously dirty bike lanes in West Philly. Philly Bike Action, a local organization that advocates for safe, protected bike lanes in the city, is hosting a Walnut Street bike lane clean up this Saturday, Jan. 18. Volunteer help is needed with trash pick-up and clearing weeds and debris. Materials will be provided, but you can bring your own if you wish. See the flyer below for more details.

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The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is planning green stormwater projects in the Cobbs Creek area of West Philadelphia and inviting community members to learn more about this plan and provide input at a public meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 14 (see more info below).

The proposed projects in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood, called “West Philly Heat Relief,” are part of Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters plan, which is reducing combined sewer overflow pollution in local waterways through the installation of neighborhood-based green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). Many of the GSI projects planned for Cobbs Creek will also increase the neighborhood’s tree cover, which will help residents stay cool in the summer months.

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West Philly pet owners have a chance to have their pets vaccinated at a free pet vaccination and wellness clinic, which will be held on Monday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital, located at 3900 Spruce St. The clinic is part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at the university.

Veterinarians will provide vaccinations and will also offer a low-cost, permanent microchip for pets. Vaccines for approximately 200 dogs and cats will be administered.

This year, Penn Medicine and CHOP will also provide free health screenings and influenza vaccines for pet owners during their pets’ appointments.

To schedule an appointment, call 215-898-4680 between 8 and 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments will be accepted until full, and there is a limit of 2 pets per household.

UPDATE: UC Green will host their annual TreeCycle event on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Clark Park and Malcolm X Park:

Clark Park (4300 Baltimore Ave): 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Malcolm X Park (5100 Pine St): 1-3 p.m.

Suggested donation per tree is $5-$20. Trees will be mulched to help support local park trees.

The City’s Department of Sanitation will kick off its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program on Monday, Jan. 6. The program offers residents various opportunities to dispose of their tree in an environmentally-friendly way. Recycled trees are sent to a vendor that chips them up as a bulking agent for composting.

While the program is running, residents may bring their Christmas tree at no charge to one of several designated locations or to a nearby sanitation convenience center.

In West Philadelphia, the designated drop-off locations include:

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A holiday pop-up, Chanukah Wonderland, opened on Wednesday at the corner of 47th and Pine Streets, in the ground-floor commercial space of Garden Court Towers. The pop-up, hosted by Chabad House at Penn, is open daily (except Saturday) through Tuesday, Dec. 31., from 12-6 p.m. It is offering fun activities for the whole family, including games, crafts, giant menorah lighting daily at 5 p.m., a story time daily at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., traditional Jewish food and treats, and more (see picture).

Admission is $5 per person, $10/family.