Participatory Budgeting voting period begins April 1

March 4, 2013 Heather Chin

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo by Heather J. Chin

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After brainstorming lists of potholes, broken bathrooms, old libraries, and other community concerns that need attention and money, residents of some Brooklyn neighborhoods will now have the chance to vote on which projects will actually get funded in 2013.

Carroll Gardens and Park Slope residents will have their Participatory Budgeting Expo on Thursday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Park Slope Library on Seventh Avenue and 9th Street.

For Williamsburg and Greenpoint residents, the Participatory Budgeting Expo will be in two locations:

Monday, March 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Polish Slavic Center at 176 Java Street
Tuesday, March 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the YWCA on Third and Atlantic Avenues
Saturday, March 23, 2-5 p.m., City Tech, 370 Jay Street, atrium

The project finalists will be unveiled at the expos, hosted by Councilmember Brad Lander and Stephen Levin’s offices, respectively. Each council district has approximately $1 million in council funds to allot.

Residents represented by Lander can then vote on their favorites between April 2 and April 7 at the following locations:

April 2-4, 7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Councilmember Lander’s office, 456 6th Avenue, 3rd Floor
Saturday, April 6, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Carroll Gardens Library, 396 Clinton Street at Union Street
Kings Bay Y at Windsor Terrace, 1224 Prospect Avenue at Vanderbilt Street
Old Stone House, 336 3rd Street in Washington Park
Sunday, April 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Park Slope Armory, 361 15th Street
Carroll Park House, Carroll and Smith Streets
Beth Jacob Day Care, 1363 46th Street
P.S. 230 Lower School, 425 McDonald Avenue

Residents represented by Levin can vote from April 1 to 7, at Levin’s office at 410 Atlantic Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., as well as at area public schools, times TBD.

“You will get to decide how best to balance competing needs, like safe streets and excellent schools, convenient transit and vibrant public spaces,” said Lander, who noted that the seven projects funded with last year’s funds included new bathrooms at P.S. 124, a community composting system near the Gowanus Canal, repairing pedestrian paths in Prospect Park, and new technology for P.S. 130 and P.S. 154.

“The ballot you vote on will list a range of projects and you will get to select the five which you believe will do the most to improve our neighborhoods,” he added.