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Read the press release here.

Residents Want to Build Dog Run and Boat Launch With $1M in Funding

 City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer speaking at a neighborhood assembly on participatory budgeting held at the Woodside Houses.
City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer speaking at a neighborhood assembly on participatory budgeting held at the Woodside Houses.
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Jimmy Van Bramer's Office

LONG ISLAND CITY — Residents want to use $1 million in funding to build a community boat launch in Long Island City and a dog run in Sunnyside, among other projects.

Those were just some of the suggestions given by residents during a series of participatory budgeting meetings this summer and fall, according to City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, who is asking residents to weight in on how to spend the capital funding dollars in his district.

"Participatory Budgeting is democracy in action," Van Bramer said in a press release. "Over the past several months it has been exciting to watch residents and stakeholders from all around the 26th District come together to participate, discuss and debate which projects are needed in their very own neighborhoods."

Ideas were collected from hundreds of residents at nine community meetings held throughout the district, which includes Sunnyside, Woodside, Astoria and Long Island City.

A group of 140 people who signed up to be "budget delegates" will use the suggestions to come up with proposals for capital projects, which must cost a minimum of $35,000.

Among the suggestions residents provided were the creation of a community boat launch in Long Island City, and a dog run for Sunnyside, located south of Queens Boulevard (the north side of the neighborhood has an existing dog park at Lou Lodati Park).

Other ideas included a rooftop farm and community garden for the Queensbridge Houses, renovating the tennis courts at I.S. 204 and a rooftop playground at P.S. 166, according to a press release from Van Bramer's office.

Residents also suggested expanding bike lanes, installing traffic calming measures and creating solar-powered charging stations throughout the district.

The budget delegates will come up with a number of "draft proposals" to present to the community in March, which will be then be revised based on public feedback. A list of final proposals will be presented in the spring, and will be voted on by residents in the district.