March 20, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
How would you spend $1 million?
Residents of Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Rego Park and Richmond Hill will have the chance to vote on what community improvements they would like to see as part of Councilmember Karen Koslowitz’s latest round of participatory budgeting.
From March 25 to April 2, community members will be able to vote online or in person for up to five projects they would like to see completed this year, including upgrades to local parks, school improvements, library improvements and bus countdown clocks, among others.
Koslowitz will host in-person voting at 11 different times and locations throughout the week, and participants will also be able to vote through a link on her website for the first time this year.
The proposals vary greatly in their cost, ranging from $175,000 for bus countdown clocks to $700,000 for library upgrades at P.S. 220, P.S. 206 and P.S. 54, with the other proposals costing somewhere in-between.
The most popular proposals will get funding of at least $1 million.
Projects on the ballot this year include:
-A pedestrian curb extension at the southeast corner of 67th Ave and 102nd Street ($600,000)
-15 bus countdown clocks at various stops along the Q10, Q64, Q23 and Q60 routes ($175,000)
-Circuit training stations in Forest Park ($250,000)
-Forest Park renovations ($500,000)
-Adding adult exercise equipment in Yellowstone Park ($200,000)
-Bathroom renovations at P.S. 196, 220, 99, 206, 174 and 144 ($450,000)
-Auditorium upgrades at P.S. 101, 174, 220, 139 and JHS 157 ($600,0000
-Technology upgrades at P.S. 139, 220, 175, 196, 206, 99, JHS 157, 190, and Forest Hills High School ($315,000)
-Library upgrades at P.S. 220, 206, and 54
-Technology upgrades at four libraries throughout the district ($200,000)
-Add ADA compliant doors at four libraries throughout the district ($260,000)