Wednesday, March 14, 2012

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROPOSALS TO BE PRESENTED TOMORROW NIGHT

Participatory Budgeting Expo
Wednesday, March 14th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

How to spend $1,000,000 of Councilmember Brad Lander's budget.

That's what 100 residents serving as volunteer budget delegates for City Council District 39 have been researching since last October when almost 1,000 community improvement projects were proposed at neighborhood meetings. Twenty remain as viable projects to improve various parts of the district.

The delegates formed committees to flesh out the proposals and determine which ones could actually be afforded, fell within the restrictions of the city government's guidelines, and could be completed. The twenty proposals will be presented tomorrow night at Park Slope Armory YMCA, 361 15th Street, between 7th and 8th avenues. From March 27th to April 1st, district residents will vote for the projects of their choice.

The proposals fall into six categories: Culture and Community Facilities, Education, Environment, Parks and Recreation, Streets and Sidewalks, and Transit.

Culture and Community Facilities

Carroll Gardens Library Community Space
Community meeting room renovation with upgraded acoustics, energy efficient lighting, new PA system, and stage. More information here.
International Mother Language Monument
Celebrating local cultural diversity, International Mother Language Day, and Bengali language movement. At Dome Playground. More information here.
Kensington Library Resources and Community Space
New books/DVDs & equipment for small room for meetings, storytelling, rehearsals, and performances promoting Kensington's cultural diversity. More information here.
Projector for Celebrate Brooklyn & BRIC Art Center
High powered projector for large scale, free public performances at Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park and at the new BRIC Media House. More information here.

Education

Bathroom Renovation for the Children of PS 124
Renovate two dysfunctional bathrooms that serve over 136 of the youngest students daily in a high-needs elementary school. More information here.
JHS 62 media center upgrade for journalism program
Electrical upgrade of multimedia room and purchase of new equipment to support school's news and journalism program. More information here.
PS 131 Auditorium Project
This high needs school is also a Performing Arts Magnet. The auditorium needs improvement beginning with the seats. More information here.
PS 39 Cafeteria Soundproofing Project
Wall/ceiling mounted sound panels on low roofs & cement walls to lessen extraneous noise in tiny cave-like cafeteria. More information here.
Technology: A Better Future for PS 154 / PS 130 Students
Installation of 15 Smartboards (PS 130), 45 13" Macbook computers with 2 carts and 2 wireless printers (PS 154 grades 1, 3, & 4).  More information here.

Environment

Brooklyn Neighbors Composting
Pest-free, smell-free compost system near Gowanus Canal uses 1 ton/day of our food scraps collected at local greenmarkets and schools to create rich soil for our gardens, parks, and trees. More information here.

Parks and Recreation

Body Weight Fitness Equipment Area
Install new body weight fitness equipment in Prospect Park. More information here.
District 39 Tree Planting
Plant 170 new trees and install tree guards on blocks with few or no trees (Parks Department will contribute an additional $85,000 to this effort for tree planting if funded). More information here.
Pigeon Plaza Greenstreet Rehabilitation
Refurbish Pigeon Plaza (New Utrecht Ave, 45th St, Fort Hamilton Pkwy) with new landscaping, seating, fencing, and trash can. More information here.
Prospect Park Pedestrian Pathway Rehabilitation
Repair Prospect Park pedestrian paths near Park Circle and Long Meadow to prevent flooding, add 10 trash cans in park. More information here.

Streets and Sidewalks

50th Street Repaving Project
Repaving 50th St from Fort Hamilton Pkwy – 13th Ave. Making it a safer, smoother street (Council Member Greenfield has agreed to secure funding for repaving blocks east of 13th Avenue, which are in his district).  More information here.
Pedestrian Hazards at the Prospect Expressway
Repairs & additions to badly damaged and dangerous 9 lane Prospect Expressway pedestrian crossing, area and landscape. More information here.
Intersection Safety Improvements
Build sidewalk ‘bulbs’ at Carroll St & Third Ave to minimize pedestrian crossing distances. More information here.

Transit

BusTime "count-down" clocks
Install digital signs on bus shelters in the district to inform riders when the next bus will arrive. (MTA must adopt a bus clock system for this project to move forward). More information here.
Help Points at F/G Subway Stations
Installing Help Points at 4th Ave and Carroll St. F/G stations, which riders can use to request assistance or make an emergency call. More information here.
Flowers: First Fix For Flooding at Ft Hamilton F/G
Improve south end of Ft. Hamilton subway exit by replanting green areas to control erosion & prevent flooding (if funded, an additional $325,000 will be applied to the project by another agency).  More information here.

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