The DCID Executive Director Sean O’Byrne and Director Mark Rowlands recognized the employees that celebrated 10 years helping make Downtown clean and safe. (Pictured from left to right: Sean O’Byrne, Daniel Moon, Latasha Anthony, Mark Rowlands, Alex Bland, Santos Ramirez, Jeff Tubbs, Operations Manager, Ronell Bailey)

Employees of the Downtown Community Improvement Districts took time out recently to celebrate a major milestone in the life of Downtown Kansas City. The DCID celebrated its 10 anniversary this month — a decade of clean and safe leadership in Downtown. The CID  Ambassadors celebrated in style on Friday, April 19, as board members and Downtown Council colleagues acknowledged the accomplishments of the CIDs at the Annual Party at the Central Public Library.

The Annual Party is one of three events the DCID sponsors yearly to acknowledge the hard work the Ambassadors perform every day through every kind of Midwestern weather. This year, the DCID  had even more reason to celebrate after Ambassadors contributed to another successful month of March Madness with four collegiate basketball tournaments — NCAA regionals, Big 12 conference,  NAIA nationals and MIAA conference  – over three weeks at Sprint Center and Municipal Auditorium.

“Downtown is definitely a different place  from 10 years ago when the first yellow barrel hit the streets, the first graffiti tag came down and the first Bumblebee greeted that lonely Downtown employee with  a friendly smile. And Downtown is definitely a better place,” said Mark Rowlands, CID director. The CID Ambassadors represent the beginning of Downtown’s revitalization, as they began working daily to make Downtown clean and safe for residents, employees and visitors.

Buildings that once stood derelict have been converted into housing or new office space, the Sprint Center and the Power and Light District sprung to life, H&R Block moved back to the neighborhood and brought a lot of new friends with them, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts changed the way the world sees Kansas City. Legoland Discovery Center and and the Sea Life Aquarium are here now to entertain the kid in all of us as Google Fiber is spreading across the city. And soon, Kansas City will have a streetcar again after nearly 50 years.

“Call us biased, but we like to think that the DCID had a lot to do with this incredible transformation,” Rowlands said.

The DCID Public Safety Ambassadors have been on the front lines to ensure a safe Downtown community while the Public Maintenance Ambassadors have been dedicated to making our streets clean and inviting. Below are some of the statistical highlights that have been achieved by the DCID Ambassadors over the last ten years.