'Ambassadors' To Clean Up Downtown Augusta

Tools

A Flash player error has occured, please make sure you have the latest Adobe Flash Player. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

By Dustin Blanchard dblanchard@nbcaugusta.com

They're common complaints downtown:too much trash, and too much crime.

But now, downtown businesses have banded together hoping to change that.

"You get the hang of it pretty quick," said Ronald Stover after struggling to keep upright on a Segway.

"You just gotta watch your center of balance," he said.

Soon the Segway will be second-nature to Stover, as he and eight other "Downtown Ambassadors" patrol downtown.

We'll help escort people to their cars. If they have car trouble, wait on a tow truck," he said. "Just be there for them."

It's all part of the new Business Improvement District.

Downtown property owners pay for the ambassadors to help make downtown more desirable.

"It's going to help with the perception that downtown is not clean or safe," said Margaret Woodard, with the Downtown Development Authority.

"Now downtown will be very clean and very safe," she said.

"They're gonna start moving all the big items, trash on the streets," she said. "They're gonna start steam-cleaning sidewalks next week."

It's all part of segueing downtown into the future.

"People will know they've got people watching their back, looking out for safety issues," Stover gleamed. "I just want them to know we're out there for them."

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 500 Characters Left

Comments are moderated and will not appear on this story until after they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

WAGT and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

WAGT Weather

Click here for 7 Day Forecast
Icon
Current Temp 95 °F
Fair
More Weather

On Demand

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

What's On TonightFull Schedule

8:00
my name is earl
9:00
law & order
10:00
law & order: ci
11:00
nbc augusta news
11:35
snl

Viewer Poll

What keeps you from getting lost when driving in unfamiliar areas?

  • Road map
  • GPS/Navigation system
  • Asking others for direction
  • Printing directions online before leaving
  • All the above