Topeka businesses band together to keep downtown clean and safe

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Business leaders in Topeka are coming together to clean up downtown Topeka while continuing to make it a safe area.

Things like vandalism and trash tend to lower moral in a city. However, multiple organizations in Topeka are taking initiative by committing to making it better.

“Everybody can see the progress that we’ve made downtown, and it’s just that final push that we need,” AIM Strategies CEO Seth Wagoner said. “Everybody’s bought in and I’m really excited about that.”

Downtown Topeka Inc., AIM Strategies and many other businesses in the heart of the city are building a task force to clean areas needing it the most.

“Some of these things we’re starting to initiate can be taken to other places in the city and possibly replicated,” Downtown Topeka Inc. President Ashley Gilfillan said. “And maybe those are other implementation things that can be taken throughout other neighborhoods and areas that can either make them cleaner, safer.”

Clean streets aren’t the only thing that contribute to a great downtown.

“It’s been frustrating for some of the business owners downtown,” Wagoner said. “It’s just a lot of the petty, misdemeanor crime. The statues that are behind me were up a week, and they were vandalized. Putting a stop to that is super important. I think that builds everybody’s morale.”

That’s why some businesses are willing to be an extra set of eyes for law enforcement.

“We’re trying to work as a private sector with law enforcement to map our private cameras to the real-time crime center that they’re developing,” Wagoner said.

The task force will meet Wednesday, July 28 and Monday, July 31. Businesses will work to clean alleyways and other areas downtown needing attention.