To the editor:
re: Monday’s letter, Crossing the Street Safely, I am pleased to provide some context for your readers.
Allied Universal Battery Park City Ambassadors are focused on the community they serve, actively engaging residents for feedback, and responding to concerns as they arise. When the Ambassadors began serving the Battery Park City community, it became readily apparent that traffic in front of our neighborhood schools during drop-off and pick-up times posed issues for children arriving by bus or walking to school with parents and caregivers. At the community’s request, Ambassadors were and continue to be stationed in crosswalks near the neighborhood schools – not as crossing guards but to keep the areas clear of double-parked vehicles to ensure clear paths for school buses, as well as to provide a visible, familiar presence for crossing children.
This function initially began with a request for the Ambassadors’ assistance from P.S. 89. The effort was expanded at the request of Community Board 1, which asked if the same Ambassador service might occur at PS/IS 276. Since that time an NYPD School Crossing Guard has also been assigned to P.S./I.S. 276; our Ambassadors now work in conjunction with NYPD personnel to provide an extra layer of awareness.
Our Battery Park City Ambassadors go well beyond simply calling 911. They help the NYPD identify perpetrators of various crimes, keep the Eastern Border clear of ticket hawkers, and regularly educate visitors on parks rules and regulations. They work with Battery Park City Parks Staff to facilitate graffiti removal as soon as it is detected on one of their 24/7/365 neighborhood patrols, and even conducted a Bike & Child Safety Session for neighborhood families this past summer. Each Ambassador is also First Aid, CPR, and Automated External Defibrillator qualified – mandates set by the Battery Park City Authority in their contract.
Our Ambassadors have become an integral and visible part of the Battery Park City community and we are proud to have them on board.
Sincerely,
Shari C. Hyman
President & COO
Battery Park City Authority