Want a Ninja warrior course in your hood? Cast a ballot!
Vote Saturday on projects pitched by Londoners looking for city funding to improve their neighbourhoods
Ever wish you could design the perfect playground? Then actually make it happen in your neighbourhood?
The City of London is granting such wishes Saturday, playing fairy godmother to dozens of community-pitched projects.
Londoners submitted 144 ideas that were due at the end of October and now it's time for people to cast their ballots. In all, $250,000 is up for grabs, $5000 per neighbourhood.
"This is one of the best things I think we've done, allowing everybody to take part in making their neighbourhoods better, including kids," said city councillor Josh Morgan.
He's spearheading the idea after a pilot project last year saw a handful of community concepts come to life. All were dreamt up by community members and facilitated by city staff.
"Park improvements to community events to a Ninja warrior course .. just phenomenal ideas, things we would never come up with ourselves at the city and they are all community-generated."
One neighbourhood group wants new picnic tables for the Beacock Public Library at a cost of $3500, including the concrete pad.
Another group hopes to bring a community cultural festival to life for $7000. Morgan says in some districts the city will be able to fund two or three projects.
How to vote
When Morgan launched the pilot last year, his six year-old daughter even got into the act.
" My daughter was up late the night before, worrying about who to vote for... should she support the idea that she liked or her friend liked and they were talking about it at school."
Londoners can either vote in person tomorrow at London public libraries (except Glanworth library) or online at Get Involved London.
Polls are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, with projects coming to life in 2018.