A business owner approached me last week and asked about inviting members of the Clean & Safe Team to her store to let them know how much their hard work is appreciated. Calls and emails also come into my office from members of the public just to thank us for providing such a program.
It's rewarding to see a program that was introduced by the Greater Downtown Council in 2005 to continue to have such a significant impact on our central business district.
Team members, clad in their safety-green and navy uniforms, are out on the streets and skywalks of our Downtown Waterfront District every day. And they quickly realize what they are told in their initial orientation: The job provides instant gratification; visitors, residents and downtown employees often offer their thanks and praise.
Now in our eighth year of operation of the Clean & Safe Team, we are continually looking for ways to make sure we are adding to the Downtown experience. Team members are true ambassadors of our Downtown Waterfront: while they provide hospitality and safety services, they are also dedicated to picking up litter and debris. This year alone, we have collected more than 11,000 pounds of litter from sidewalks and public spaces and we have provided more than 7,500 assists with hospitality services.
We've also taken on a new role, to make it easier for Downtown Waterfront visitors to obtain information. The Team is equipped with a mobile information kiosk that has been out at events or on a busy street corner. Consider it our form of a concierge providing helpful information and answering endless questions about our community.
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Our patrolling of the district has been made more effective and efficient with the use of a Segway. Once a novelty, is now almost second nature to see a team member rolling along the sidewalks and parking structures throughout our commercial corridor. It's yet another way to have an extra set of eyes and ears out there for the police department. We truly value that relationship with our downtown officers and have proven that together we can play a role in curbing some quality-of-life crimes.
And while our office is fortunate enough to get the calls and accolades for offering a service that helps keep our downtown clean, safe and friendly, it is the property owners and the city of Duluth that should be commended for supporting this program. It proves that by pooling our resources, we can all play a role in the strengthening of our community.
Kristi Stokes is the president of the Greater Downtown Council in Duluth. Contact her at 727-8549 or by email at kstokes@downtownduluth.com .
