Comic-Con International is one of the most popular events held in Downtown San Diego, drawing a crowd of over 130,000 attendees this year. Residents and tourists alike flocked to the Gaslamp Quarter to attend the popular event, enjoy free things to do around the Convention Center, or grab a meal and people watch along Fifth Ave.
During this five-day event, Downtown San Diego Partnership's Clean & Safe team, led by Executive Director Alonso Vivas, ensured that the streets of Downtown remained clean and safe for all attendees. As Vivas stated, 'Without a doubt, our team is one of the hardest working crews at Comic-Con each year. I am impressed by the work they do every single day, but I am especially proud of their diligence and dedication during a time when people from around the world visit Downtown San Diego.'
The Clean & Safe ambassadors had their work cut out for them during the event, picking up 44,581 flyers, posters, and stickers, pulling 4,990 bags of trash, removing 29.39 tons of trash, and cleaning graffiti 311 times. This is about 39 times, five times, two times, and two times more, respectively, than what they typically do during a five-day period. Additionally, ambassadors provided safety patrols, escorts, and directional services throughout Downtown during the event.
The Downtown San Diego Partnership's Clean & Safe program is a property and business improvement district that represents more than 11,000 property and business owners. The organization provides enhanced services for Downtown's six neighborhoods: Civic Core, Columbia, Cortez Hill, East Village, Gaslamp Quarter, and Marina District. The safety and maintenance teams patrol the streets 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and perform maintenance duties in the public right-of-way in addition to safety patrols. They safeguard 275 blocks in Downtown San Diego, providing social outreach referrals to those in need.
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