DOWNTOWN AKRON PARTNERSHIP

CLEAN, SAFE & WELCOMING:DAP PROVIDES CLEANING AND SAFETY AMBASSADORS THROUGH OUR $494,734.00 CONTRACT WITH BLOCK BY BLOCK. DAP'S CLEAN & SAFE AMBASSADORS ENHANCE THE DOWNTOWN QUALITY OF LIFE WITH FOOT AND BIKE PATROLS THROUGHOUT THE 49-BLOCK DISTRICT AND ADJACENT BUSINESS MEMBER PROPERTIES. AMBASSADORS PATROL THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO REMOVE TRASH, GRAFFITI AND SAFETY HAZARDS, REPORT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND PROVIDE HOSPITALITY ASSISTANCE INCLUDING JUMP STARTS AND LOCK OUTS. THE TEAM POWER WASHES SIDEWALKS, MAINTAINS ASH URNS, PULLS WEEDS AND CHECKS IN WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS. AMBASSADORS ALSO CLEAN AND DISINFECT HIGH TOUCH AREAS AS NEEDED. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)CLEAN, SAFE & WELCOMING, CONTINUED:DAP FUNDS AN APD NIGHTTIME SHIFT SUPERVISOR THURSDAY-SATURDAY IN DOWNTOWN TO COORDINATE POLICE PRESENCE AT NIGHTLIFE VENUES, COMMUNICATE CONCERNS TO DAP STAFF, AND PROVIDE DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE DISTRICT. THE TOTAL FOR CONTRACTED OFFICERS WAS $26,448.00. DAP COLLECTS CRIME DATA FROM WEEKLY APD REPORTS AND THE ONLINE LEXIS NEXIS COMMUNITY CRIME MAPPING SYSTEM TO LOOK FOR PATTERNS, REVISE THE DEPLOYMENT OF AMBASSADORS OR CONTRACTED OFFICERS, AND SEND ADVISORIES TO THE DISTRICT.WITH HELP FROM A GRANT FROM CORBIN FOUNDATION, DAP AMBASSADORS PLACED AND MAINTAINED 266 HANGING BASKETS, PLANTER BOXES AND SIDEWALK PLANTERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. WE ALSO PLANTED THE NORTH HIGH PARKLET AND A SUSTAINABLE, POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GREENSCAPE IN THE NORTHSIDE. THIS MORE THAN $100,000 INVESTMENT WAS DESIGNED COLLABORATIVELY WITH DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS, DAP STAFF, AND KEEP AKRON BEAUTIFUL WITH WHOM DAP CONTRACTS TO MAINTAIN 8 ADDITIONAL IN-GROUND DISPLAYS DOWNTOWN.THROUGHOUT THE 2024-25FY, DAP STRENGTHENED AND GREW OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES TO WORK TOWARD TRANSITIONING DOWNTOWN'S UNSHELTERED POPULATION TO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES EDUCATING DAP STAFF, AMBASSADORS AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN ENGAGING PEOPLE IN CRISIS, UNDERSTANDING ACCESS TO AVAILABLE SUPPORT SERVICES, COLLABORATIVE TOURS THROUGH THE DISTRICT, AND INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS. DAP MAINTAINS TOWPATH WAYFINDING SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR AND CREATES MAPS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO CONNECT VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN. DAP ALSO CONTRACTED WITH OHIO GEESE CONTROL TO DEPLOY A DOG PATROL TO HELP REDUCE THE NUMBER OF GEESE DOWNTOWN.

KNIGHT INITIATIVES: KNIGHT FOUNDATION FUNDS WERE DEPLOYED TOWARD TACTICAL IMPROVEMENTS, PLANNING, PROGRAMMING AND CAPACITY SUPPORT WHEN AND WHERE NEEDED. THE WORK SUCCESSFULLY INSPIRED NEW PUBLIC REALM INVESTMENTS, ENHANCED INVESTMENTS IN PROGRESS, ACTIVATED PUBLIC SPACE AND CULTIVATED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP. BY CO-DECIDING WHEN AND WHERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS WORK WERE BEST SUITED FOR DAP INVOLVEMENT, WE MAXIMIZED THE PUBLIC BENEFIT OF KNIGHT SUPPORT. WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH MORE INITIATIVES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND MATCHING FUNDS THAT INCREASED DAP CAPACITY TO CONVENE STAKEHOLDERS AND WORK AS AN ALLY ACROSS SECTORS.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)KNIGHT INITIATIVES, CONTINUED: KEY OUTCOMES INCLUDE:1. SUPPORT SIX SIGNATURE EVENTS TO BRING PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN, INCLUDING AKRON LATIN FEST, DOWNTOWN FALL FEST, SMELLS LIKE SNOW COFFEE FESTIVAL, LUNAR NEW YEAR, SAKURA CELEBRATION, JUNETEENTH. 2. CREATE AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC SPACE PLACEMAKING IMPROVEMENTS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN CASCADE PLAZA , LOVE THE WALL AND NORTHSIDE GREEN.3. PROGRAM CASCADE PLAZA AND OTHER SPACES WITH WELLNESS, CONCERTS AND SKATE NIGHTS WITH A FOCUS ON MIXING IN PLACE.4. SUPPORT DOWNTOWN PLANNING THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN VISION AND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022+.5. IMPROVE DOWNTOWN PERCEPTIONS THROUGH STORYTELLING, GUIDES AND MARKETING INITIATIVES. 6. IMPROVE MAIN ST WINTERSCAPE THROUGH INSTALLATION OF HOLIDAY LIGHTING.7. SUPPORT DAP CAPACITY THROUGH INTERNS, CONSULTANTS, AND PROGRAMMING STAFF TO ACCOMPLISH THE BODY OF WORK.8. SUSTAIN THE DOWNTOWN PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE.9. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP OF DOWNTOWN AKRON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONKNIGHT SUPPORT WAS USED IN MULTIPLE INSTANCES TO GUIDE PUBLIC REALM INVESTMENT THROUGH PLANNING AND CONSULTANTS, AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, DAP CAME ALONGSIDE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO INTEGRATE BEST PRINCIPLES INTO PUBLIC SPACES AND, IN SOME CASES, HELP MATERIALIZE THOSE PLANS AND PROGRAM THE RESPECTIVE SPACES. QUANTIFYING THOSE INVESTMENTS AND AUDIENCES ENGAGED HELPS US DEMONSTRATE THE BROAD IMPACT OF THE WORK. KNIGHT PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITY IS SUPPORTED BY A MULTIYEAR GRANT FROM THE JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT FOUNDATION. REVENUE WAS RECEIVED THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THIS WORK, AND CARRIED OVER FROM LAST YEAR AS WELL.