Golden Triangle Ambassadors want to make Downtown more inviting and welcoming
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An extra set of eyes and ears will be monitoring the Downtown Pittsburgh area as part of a new program, Golden Triangle Ambassadors.
The team will be made up of eight full-time ambassadors, two supervisors and a dispatcher. The purpose of the team is focused on having a presence and engaging with those in the Downtown area.
"Downtown is Pittsburgh's heart and soul, and these Ambassadors will play an integral part in helping everyone feel safe and welcome in the heart of our great city," said Mayor of Pittsburgh Ed Gainey in a news release. "We have seen this type of program work in other cities, and we believe that this initiative will be a critical piece of our efforts to help more people be able to enjoy all that Downtown has to offer."
Ambassadors will be dressed in blue jackets and yellow hats and hope to change the narrative some have of the Downtown area.
"People think that it's not a safe place to be, but we want everyone to know that it's a great place to be able to live, work and play," said James Wimberly, general manager of the Clean, Outreach & Hospitality programs for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Wimberly said the goal of the ambassadors is to make the city more inviting and welcoming.
"Our ambassadors will greatly enhance our efforts to make Downtown a more welcoming place by adding more trained personnel and key resources to our streets and public spaces," said PDP President & CEO Jeremy Waldrup in a news release. "It takes a village to get these programs off the ground, and I'm grateful for partners like the Allegheny Conference and the generous support of the City, the philanthropic community, and corporate partners who make this initiative possible.
Ambassadors will engage with the community, whether that be a simple greeting, giving directions, taking pictures for visitors or even escorting someone to a building.
"I think it's a great thing they're trying to do. I don't think we have anything like this in our Downtown area and Downtown areas can be overwhelming. So it's nice to have someone there to give you directions or just be a friendly face," said Kelsie Bratt, who was visiting from Utah.
They will also be able to provide help in emergency situations, as they are trained in performing CPR and administering Narcan.
"If they see someone that is under a period of substance abuse, or they see someone using (drugs), they can contact the outreach individual, that person can go and directly engage that person in that population," Wimberly said.
Ambassadors will be in different areas downtown every single day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The pilot program is a five-year investment that will be tailored to the needs of the city, Wimberly said.
"We're going to be relentless and do what we can do to make the biggest impact that we can make," Wimberly said.
"This is very humbling. this is very human. It makes me happy to come to work," Iliana Andujar, a morning shift supervisor and ambassador.
