University Circle has expanded its Clean and Safe Ambassador program, which will now be an extension of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance's (DCA) service of the same name. University Circle Inc. (UCI) and PNC sponsored the move.

Most Clevelanders have seen the Ambassadors on bikes and as a friendly presence at events such as Walnut Wednesday, but what exactly do they do? Fresh Water posed the question to UCI's vice president of services Laura Kleinman.

"They're often referred to as 'Clean and Safe Ambassadors,'" she says. "Generally speaking, those are the services they provide."

The "clean" part of their jobs includes picking up litter and debris along major corridors with a pan and broom or sometimes with a more muscled beast. They also identify and remove graffiti from public property and fixtures.

Kleinman notes that graffiti is a loose term that includes "everything from a sticker that doesn't belong, to someone defacing a utility box with spray paint," she says. "It really runs the gamut." Ambassadors also remove gum from sidewalks and will take on special projects such as cleaning up notoriously dirty areas like bridge underpasses.

The "safe" portion of their responsibilities includes contacting authorities if they encounter something amiss such as an altercation or aggressive panhandling.

"They are the eyes and ears for the neighborhood," says Kleinman, noting that they will not only contact the police and fire departments, but they might assist them as well.

Ambassadors also act as informal neighborhood concierges.

"They are an extension of our visitor center," says Kleinman. That includes giving directions to museums and area restaurants as well as information regarding public transportation and area anchors. "They let people know where to go and what to do," she adds. "In many cases it's parents with students or prospective students or families with patients at one of the area hospitals that are in need of any number of things."

Residents will see ambassadors on foot, bicycles and Segways. They'll also attend events such as Wade Oval Wednesday and Wade Oval Winter.  

Kleinman encourages any resident in peril to approach an ambassador. Bike trouble? Flat tire? Ambassadors know where to get help or even one better: "Depending on the problem," adds Kleinman, "they might be able to help you."

University Circle has four full-time ambassadors in the fairer months and two in the winter, when their duties also include small-scale snow removal. They are located in the University Circle Visitor Center, 11330 Euclid Avenue. Ambassadors are trained and managed by the national firm Block by Block.

"The other great service they provide to us is that they're tracking their activity every day, every hour," says Kleinman of the professional staff. "We get great information about what they've been doing: where they are cleaning up, removing graffiti and how many people they've assisted." The resulting data informs UCI on how to manage and deploy resources and helps to track trends.

There is another less quantifiable benefit to the ambassadors' presence.

"The hand they reach out and the assist they are providing," says Kleinman, "it's great to have that personal touch in the neighborhood."