District 39 Participatory Budgeting 2018: Winning Projects Announced

District 39 Participatory Budgeting 2018: Winning Projects Announced

PARK SLOPE – Council Member Brad Lander has announced the winning 2018 participatory budgeting projects for District 39 (Borough Park, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Columbia Waterfront, Gowanus, Kensington, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace).

Council Member Brad Lander speaking at the District 39 PBNYC 2018 Project Expo, April 9 (Photo: Pamela Wong/BKLYNER)

The 18 project proposals on the 2018 District 39 ballot were presented at a Project Expo held at the Park Slope Library on April 9. Check out BKLYNER’s post on the Project Expo for a refresher on all of the projects on the ballot that neighbors proposed and/or voted for to “make the community a better place to live, work, learn, and play,” according to Lander’s announcement.

The five District 39 PBNYC 2018 winning “Expense” Projects who will share up to $50,000 in funding are:

Isaac Rauch, Participatory Budge Delegate and Dara Kagan presenting for the Park Slope Women’s Shelter

Media Lab at Park Slope Women’s Shelter
Budget: $14,000
Location: Park Slope Women’s Shelter,1402 8th Avenue, Park Slope
Description: Outfitting the 100-bed women’s shelter at the Park Slope Armory with new computer and photography equipment.

Shahrin Azim, New York Regional Director for Malikah and Shahana Hanif, Participatory Budget Delegate

Women’s Self-Defense for the Resistance
Budget:$5,400
Location: Kensington
Description: A series of workshops for immigrants, Muslim women, and their allies  focused on self-defense techniques and empowerment.

iPads to Support PS 77 Students with Autism
Budget: $6,909
Location: PS 77, 62 Park Place, Park Slope
Description: iPads will help students with autism build language and communication skills, and support social/emotional learning.

L-R: Cindy Day, Shari Zisman, and Michele Greenberg presenting School Diversity Outreach Plan

Outreach Plan for Elementary School Diversity
Budget: $15,000
Location:  PS 372, PS 146, and PS 133
Description: Hire a coordinator to assist three non-zoned elementary schools with an outreach plan to achieve diversity-in-admissions goals.

David Seideman, Participatory Budge Delegate presenting Save Our Bats! project

Study of Endangered Bats in Prospect Park
Budget: $7,600
Location: Prospect Park
Description: Conduct scientific study about endangered bats in Prospect Park, which are critical pollinators and pest-eaters.

District 39 is the only NYC Council District to include expense projects in the Participatory Budgeting cycle.

The five District 39 PBNYC 2018 winning “Capital” Projects who will share up to $1.5 million in funding are:

Kyla Blocker, a drama teacher at PS 282 presents a project to upgrade dilapidated sinks in four kindergarten classrooms

Replace Derelict Kindergarten Sinks at PS 282
Budget: $200,000
Location: PS 282, 180 6th Avenue, Park Slope
Description: Replace rusty sinks and splintered cabinets that pose a health/safety hazard to five-year-olds and after-school communities.

Make PS 118 Schoolyard Accessible and Safe
Budget: $200,000
Location: PS 118, 211 8th Street, Gowanus
Description: Replace a broken gate to enable growing school to utilize playground as its only communal, ADA-accessible space.

Harmony Playground Improvements
Budget: $450,000
Location: Harmony Playground, Prospect Park at 10th Street, Park Slope
Description: Install shade structure over sandbox and replace non-working playground structures with viable equipment.

L-R: Members of Good Neighbors of Park Slope Lynne Ornstein, Suzanne Jasper, and Joyce Jed with Yosef Ibrahim

Senior Fitness Playground
Budget: $400,000
Location: Prospect Park near 9th Street entrance, Park Slope
Description: Install playground-style exercise equipment for senior citizens and the less able-bodied.

Resurface the Soccer Field in Albermarle Playground
Budget: $500,000
Location: 12th Avenue and Dahill Road, Kensington
Description: Replace damaged, hazardous turf in this widely used soccer field, shared by students at PS 230 and the Kensington community. [Lander gave a special shout-out in his announcement to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for pitching in $100,000 to the total funding—making the inclusion of the Albermarle Playground soccer field project possible.]

Congratulations to all the winning project teams!

Click here to learn more about Participatory Budgeting Cycle 7 or to see a list of all the project proposals on the PBNYC 2018 ballots in Brooklyn.