City of Lancaster, PA Government

The City of Lancaster follows Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee policy by setting the date and time for trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating is not an official City of Lancaster-sponsored activity and participation is voluntary. This year, trick-or-treating will take place on Friday, October 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. The CDC considers traditional trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating (where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in parking lots) to be high-risk acti...vities. We strongly recommend that families choose alternative activities in lieu of trick-or-treating this year. Decorating or carving pumpkins with your household, hiding treats around your home for those who live there to look for and enjoy, or hosting an outdoor and socially-distanced movie night with neighbors are all fun, lower risk activities. If you DO choose to participate in traditional trick-or-treating, the CDC recommends: - avoiding direct contact with trick-or-treaters - staying at least 6 feet away from people who do not live with you - giving out treats outdoors - setting up a station with individually bagged treats for kids to take - washing hands before handling treats - washing hands when you get home and before you eat any treats - wearing a mask For more information about COVID-19 Halloween safety, visit www.cdc.gov//201/daily-life-coping/holidays/halloween.html. The City of Lancaster wishes Lancastrians a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

This evening, the Community & Police Working Group (CPWG) will present their strategic plan to City Council. CPWG is a committed group of residents, community leaders, and staff from the City of Lancaster and Bureau of Police advocating on behalf of Lancaster City’s black, brown and other marginalized communities. The group was formed in 2018 to build trust, collaboration, mutual understanding and respect among the community and police to create a just, safe, and equitable L...ancaster City. This evening’s presentation will focus on the four main areas of the strategic plan, which are to clarify the role of CPWG, develop a community with stronger race relations among all residents, provide recommendations on Bureau of Police hiring practices, and build relationships with city residents through community engagement efforts. The meeting can be viewed on our YouTube channel or via Zoom. For instructions on how to join the Zoom, visit www.cityoflancasterpa.com/city-council.

Starting today, the Lancaster City Visitor Center at 38 Penn Square is now open! Hours are Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday 9 am - 3 pm.

News from Lancaster Public Art: Artist Salina Almanzar Returns to Culliton Park with New Mural Design! [The new mural] honors what was lost through colonization of indigenous lands and the resilience of historically marginalized peoples as they behave like water: adapting and transforming their environments. - Salina Almanzar... Check out the link below for more information on her newest work. _______ Artista Salina Almanzar Regresa a Culliton Park con un Mural Nuevo! [El nuevo mural] honra lo que se perdió con la colonización de las tierras indígenas y la resiliencia de los pueblos históricamente marginados al comportarse como el agua: adaptando y transformando sus entornos. - Salina Almanzar Consulta el link debajo para más información.

YES - More TREES please building our urban forests! Yesterday was a beautiful day for planting more than 180 native trees and shrubs along the Conestoga Green...way Trail at Circle Ave and Broad Street. A huge SHOUT OUT to #CityofLancaster Public Works, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, #LancasterTreeTenders and dedicated volunteers who helped us to prep with equipment, plant, stake, shelter, and mulch all the new plantings just in time for rain showers! Go for a hike along this trail and check out our new planting! Thank you to partners: PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) PPL Community Roots Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership Donegal Trout Unlimited #SaveItLancaster #waterquality #streambuffers

Have a great weekend, Lancaster!

Do you have a plan for voting in the 2020 General Election? Whether you are voting at your polling place on November 3 or using a mail-in ballot, learn more about voting in PA at www.votespa.com.

You may have noticed some Christmas cheer has already appeared around town. We know, we know... we've still got Halloween and Thanksgiving to get through. Please, hear us out! It takes time for our Public Works staff to put up over 500 wreaths, and the Mayor's Tree Lighting is in just over a month. While we won't be able to celebrate together in Penn Square this year like we normally do, the City of Lancaster Office of Promotion has some fun and COVID-safe alternatives in the works this year. Stay tuned! We appreciate your understanding. Feel free to disregard the decorations until after your Thanksgiving feast has come to an end. In the meantime, please join us in thanking LEADS, Making Lancaster Beautiful Every Season for these beautiful wreaths!

The 2020 General Election is in two weeks. Several polling places in Lancaster City have changed - make sure to double check your polling location before you go! https://bit.ly/36THAsJ

Statement from Mayor Sorace - October 15, 2020

At this evening's City Council meeting, we will recognize Carlos Graupera and Fr. Allan Wolfe with Lifetime Achievement Awards in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! Both Fr. Wolfe and Mr. Graupera have dedicated decades of their lives to improving the quality of life for the Hispanic community of Lancaster City through their respective roles.