CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — The City of Champaign has announced that its new City Center Team is now out and assisting visitors to the city’s core business district. This team was created through a partnership with Block by Block of Louisville, Kentucky.

The City Center Team consists of six team members and an operations supervisor. The team looks to provide engagement, outreach, and cleaning services across Champaign’s Downtown, Midtown, and Campustown areas.

The team will assist with helping visitors, safety monitoring, cleanup, area beautification, graffiti abatement, and more. The Champaign City Council approved the partnership on July 15, and funds for the program come from the city’s Tax Increment Finance District and Food and Beverage funds.

“The City Center Team is an investment in keeping our core business districts welcoming, vibrant, and safe,” Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen said. “Downtown, Midtown, and Campustown stand at the very heart of our community, and the City Center Team will help us ensure these areas remain clean, inviting, and safe for everyone. “

Block by Block has a history of working in vibrant downtown areas since its first program was launched in Louisville in 1995. More than strictly a clean and safe service provider, it has developed an optimized operating model built on best practices, research and development, and modern technology that has attracted partnerships in more than 150 locations nationwide. This includes downtowns, improvement districts, parks, college campuses, transit systems, and other public spaces.

“By having a visible presence in Downtown, Midtown, and Campustown, they will enhance the visitor experience and support our residents and businesses,” Feinen said. “This partnership ensures that Champaign will remain a destination where people want to gather, shop, and visit. This great new program is yet another way the City of Champaign is investing in the vitality of our city’s core and helping to support our local businesses.”

For more information about the City Center Team, please visit visitdowntownchampaign.com/team.