- Downtown Vision, Inc.
- Things To Do
- Getting Around
- Living Here
- Doing Business
- About Downtown
- Downtown Directory
Ambassadors
Making Downtown Jacksonville Safer and Friendlier
Ready to give directions, answer questions, provide assistance, or walk you to your destination, the Downtown Ambassadors are Jacksonville's Downtown cleanliness, safety and hospitality team.
Ambassadors are easily identified in their bright orange shirts and pith helmets as they walk and bike throughout Downtown Jacksonville, day and night. The Downtown Ambassadors began operation in October 2001, and have made a tremendous impact on Downtown Jacksonville.
Downtown Ambassadors are available to assist you Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Ambassadors' hours also vary occasionally due to special events. The Ambassadors are an extra set of eyes and ears on the street, and work closely with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the city to improve Downtown Jacksonville.
Downtown Ambassadors in the News
Downtown Vision Steps in to Clean Up Downtown Improvement District
10 Ways the Downtown Ambassadors Can Make Your Experience Downtown More Pleasant
- Provide you with useful directions and maps.
- Escort you to your destination.
- Help you locate a business or service.
- Call for medical assistance if you need it.
- Provide information on parking Downtown.
- Provide social services information to people in need.
- Identify and report hazards.
- Report and resolve cleanliness issues.
- Share a smile and a watchful eye.
- Contact the police if you need help.
Ambassador Annual Highlights
In an average year, the Downtown Ambassadors help make Downtown cleaner, safer and friendlier.
Making Downtown Cleaner
- Remove more than 8 tons of litter from Downtown sidewalks annually.
- Report more than 500 maintenance issues annually, of which we resolve more than 60%.
- Remove weeds from sidewalks and tree beds.
- Pressure wash and spot clean sidewalks.
- Clean and straighten public fixtures, including trash cans, public phones, newspaper racks and benches.
- Remove graffiti.
Making Downtown Safer
- Report and/or resolve more than 2,000 instances of nuisance activity (panhandling, open container violations, etc.) in Downtown annually.
- Provide more than 300 safety escorts to citizens visiting Downtown annually.
- Inform panhandlers about the City's panhandling ordinance, which states that panhandling is illegal in the Downtown Improvement District.
- Inform citizens that have been approached by panhandlers how to effectively handle the situation.
- Provide a safety presence to more than 4,000 individuals daily as they walk to their destination during evening hours.
- Established a routine reporting and resolution partnership with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office that has resolved and prevented many safety issues.
- Assist more than 200 homeless individuals annually on where to find shelter services.
- Eliminate Downtown urban campsites and bed-down areas by working with Downtown property owners, homeless centers, and homeless individuals.
- Provide a watchful eye for thousands of individuals attending hundreds of Downtown events.
Making Downtown Friendlier
- Provide assistance to more than 40,000 individuals annually. Here are some examples:
- More than 12,000 individuals receive Downtown event information annually.
- More than 11,000 people receive directional assistance annually.
- More than 700 people are annually escorted with an umbrella when caught in a rainstorm.
- More than 400 people were escorted to their destination when they were unsure where to go.
- Find and return more than 90 lost items annually including prescription drugs, wallets, driver licenses, pay checks, credit cards, legal papers, social security cards, personal items, blue prints, building permits, and keys to very happy people.
