Durham Reporter

The votes have been counted and the results are in for the projects that will soon receive $2.4 million in participatory budgeting (PB Durham) funding.

What You Need to Know

PB Durham is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend $2.4 million.

City of Durham residents ages 13+ ranked 10 project proposals with the top five proposals approved by the PB Durham Steering Committee to now receive funding.

Winning projects include lighting and sustainability improvements to parks, pedestrian safety improvements at East Trinity Avenue, new teen equipment at recreation centers, and improved security measures at Durham Housing Authority properties.

Thursday, Durham City Council members received a presentation highlighting the top five winning projects as determined by city residents, including students 13 years or older, who voted last fall on how $2.4 million will be spent in Cycle III. The top five winning project proposals are as follows:

Pedestrian Safety on East Trinity Avenue - $990,000: Install pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and signage on East Trinity Avenue from North Roxboro Street to Avondale Avenue.

Lighting at Parks - $888,000: Outdoor lighting to improve safety and extend the usable hours at Morreene Road Park, Holton Career and Resource Center, and Edison Johnson Recreation Center parking lot.

Teen Equipment at Recreation Centers - $85,000: Upgrade equipment, such as computers and games, at the Durham Teen Center at Lyon Park, Holton Career and Resource Center, Walltown Recreation Center, W.D. Hill Recreation Center, and Weaver Street Recreation Center.

Sustainable Improvements to Parks - $110,000: Install water bottle filling stations, bike repair stations, and solar power charging stations to improve sustainability and encourage physical activity at CM Herndon Park, Duke Park, Lyon Park, Merrick-Moore Park, Solite Park, Twin Lakes Park, and Westover Park.

Security Measures for Durham Housing Authority Properties - $110,000: Resident-requested safety improvements including cameras, deadbolt locks, and improved lighting in the Cornwallis Road Community and Preiss-Steele Place.

Now that residents have voted for their preferred projects and the funding requests for those top projects have been approved by the PB Durham Steering Committee and shared with the City Council during Thursday's Work Session, project implementation will begin this winter and spring.

Previous projects in PB Durham Cycle I, which funded 18 projects using $2.4 million, included physical infrastructure projects, such as playgrounds, bus shelters, and public art; technology improvement projects, such as solar panels on bus shelters for charging mobile devices; and community enhancement projects, such as planting street trees. 

For Cycle II, PB Durham formed a grant program for Durham-based nonprofits and community organizations offering COVID-19 relief assistance. To do this, City Council approved $1 million for 22 organizations directly serving residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as organizations addressing issues contributing to racial, economic, and inequities in the Bull City.

For more information, visit the PB Durham website, send an email to PB Durham staff, or call 919-560-4111, ext. 20290. Residents are also encouraged to follow PB Durham on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Original source can be found here.