Those who frequent London’s Downtown, Old East Village, Richmond Row and Midtown neighbourhoods will notice new faces in the core area this summer, with members of the Ambassador program providing supports to visitors, businesses and residents on a daily basis.
The Ambassadors play many roles, such as providing a welcoming presence for people spending time in the core, supporting small-scale events and activations, working with other City teams to keep streets clean and safe and building ties with local businesses.
About the Ambassador program
The City initiated the Ambassador program to foster a welcoming and safe environment, contribute to the vibrancy and support existing programs and services in the core area. These Ambassadors are the friendly faces who can help visitors with directions, let people know what events are happening, assist with parking questions and respond to business inquiries.
The Ambassadors are out on the streets from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday to Saturday; and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. They walk regular beats across the area, providing a range of services.
“The Ambassadors wear bright green uniforms, so they are easily identifiable. We want people to see them and know there is someone from the City on the street who can offer assistance if needed,” says Ryan Craven, Manager, Core Area Programs at the City of London. “When they walk the streets, they are proactively looking for people who might need directions, help with parking or a recommendation for something to do.”
You can also find the Ambassadors helping with set-up and take down during small-scale events taking place Downtown and in Old East Village.
Core Area Ambassadors routinely check in with businesses to share updates from the City and listen to any questions or concerns they have, connecting them with helpful information, resources and supports where possible.
Since launching in December 2021, the Core Area Ambassadors have logged over 800 interactions with a range of individuals on the street. They have had over 250 interactions with businesses in which they have shared City information, including updates related to Core Area Action Plan initiatives such as the Spotlight program and monthly event listings of things happening Downtown and in Old East Village.
To get in contact with the Ambassadors, please email corearea@london.ca or call 519-661-2489, extension 7455.
Caption: The Ambassadors are out on the streets from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Saturday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. They walk regular beats across the core area, providing a range of services.
Caption: You can spot the Ambassadors responding to questions, checking in with businesses, reporting issues and helping with summer events and activations. Look for the bright green uniform with an 'i' on the back.