Community Corner
Long List of Neighborhood Improvement Ideas at Participatory Budget Meeting
Long List of Neighborhood Improvement Ideas at Participatory Budget Meeting
A dog run, better lighting and security at subway stations, more trees, and community composting were just some of the ideas presented at last night's Windsor Terrace Participatory Budgeting meeting.
More than 70 neighbors gathered at PS 154 to learn more about Councilmember Brad Lander's plan, which allows community members in his district to propose ideas for capital improvements, and then vote on how to spend $1 million of discretionary funds.
The process was explained (more on how it works here), and then the crowd was broken into smaller groups, where people were able to propose projects they want to see happen in the district. When the larger group reconvened, each small group leader presented the top three projects voted on by their group, and a number of ideas were common to them all:
* High on the list were safety improvements at isolated subway stations like the Fort Hamilton F stop.
* Four groups wanted to see a dog run in Windsor Terrace or South Slope.
* Environmentally-friendly sanitation improvements were stressed, with ideas for neighborhood composting centers, recycling cans on commercial strips, and solar-compacting garbage cans.
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* New trees were wanted by almost every group. Considering all that were lost following the hurricane this summer, that's not a big surprise, but whether it will be funded by this or another capital project remains to be seen.
* Traffic improvements were requested, from speed bumps on downhill roads to additional streetlights on Prospect Park West.
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* Specific items included a book drop at the WT Library and a fix for the drainage problem at the Ft Hamilton subway underpass.
Every idea is taken into consideration, even expense projects that are not eligible under this budget. Those projects include things that would require long-term funding and maintenance--ideas I heard included a Prospect Avenue bus line and neighbor Avi Fisher's brilliantly-named "Gowandola," which would be a gondola service on the Gowanus Canal. Though they can't be covered with these funds, these ideas will be noted by the Councilmember's office with a potential to be addressed in the future.
If you missed last night's meeting, there are three more first-round meetings in the district:
October 17: PS 230 Cafeteria, 1 Albemarle Road, 6:30pm
October 20: PS 58, 330 Smith Street, 6:30pm
October 26: Beth Jacob Child Care Center, 1363 46th Street, 6:30pm
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to share ideas. If you don't participate, you can't complain later!
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