During the 2016-2019 Multi-year Budget process, Council committed one-time funding of $30,000 in 2016 to two neighbourhoods to pilot a neighbourhood decision making project through an expanded SPARKS! program. The goal of this program is to engage, empower, and connect residents by bringing neighbours together around community-driven projects that enhance and strengthen their own neighbourhoods. Residents in Ward 13 were invited to share ideas for how to spend $15,000 to enhance their neighbourhood. Ideas were vetted by City staff for feasibility before being developed into full proposals with more detailed descriptions, images, maps and budgets. The proposals were then put back out to the neighbourhood for a community vote. The ideas that received the most votes were awarded funding. A total of 27 ideas were submitted with 11 passing the feasibility review and getting on the ballot. 249 residents of all ages cast votes for their favourite proposals (both in person and online). The four winning proposals were: Gleaning Food Forest (#008) Kindness Meters (#001) Art on Utility Boxes (#010) New Play Equipment in Blackfriars Park (#004) This document contains the Idea Proposal Guidelines, some of the marketing materials and All 19 proposals on the ballot.
Idea Proposal Guidelines Idea proposals should: Involve and empower members of the neighbourhood and demonstrate broad-based and diverse participation in the project process Be originated, planned and put into action by the neighbours and community members who will be affected by the project Occur within the city limits and be on public land that is accessible Idea proposals may achieve any of the following outcomes: Improve neighbourhood safety, participation and mobility Beautify the neighbourhood Improve community connections and understanding between neighbours Encourage diversity and inclusion Enhance or expand green space Generally, idea proposals should not: Delay or cancel projects that are part of Council s approved multi-year budget, Fund permanent staff positions, Pay for a project on private property, Substitute funding lost from other sources of money, Reimburse an organization s operating expenses not directly linked to the awarded project, Reimburse out-of-london travel expenses or any accommodation expenses, Pay for expenses or financial commitments undertaken prior to the organization being under contract with the City of London, Fund any alcohol, tobacco or gambling expenses, Fund website development, and Contribute to fundraising revenue for projects.
Kindness Meters W13.001 5 Kindness Meters will be placed throughout the downtown area near major intersections. Kindness Meters are refurbished parking meters that allow people to donate their spare change to local charities. The funds would go to local organizations working in the areas of poverty and homelessness. Winner! Richmond & Oxford Cost Breakdown Signage $250 Installation $1,250 Total $1,500 Richmond & Central Wellington & Dufferin Dundas & Adelaide King & Talbot Kindness Meters are a way for people to use their spare change to make real change. The initiative has been designed in a way to ensure that once installed there will be little or no ongoing costs associated with them and therefore 100% of the money collected is donated directly to the amazing local community groups dedicated to providing services and resources to individuals experiencing poverty and/or homelessness. Feed a meter, feed a soul. The meters have been acquired and painted. The Salvation Army has agreed to collect the funds. The funds will be distributed to local organizations working in the areas of poverty and homelessness.
Ping Pong Table in Piccadilly Park W13.002 Install an outdoor ping pong table in Piccadilly Park. Cost Breakdown Equipment and installation: $7,000 Proposed Table Location Piccadilly Park is an active neighbourhood green space with tennis courts, a basketball court, playground equipment and chess tables. Installing a ping pong table at Piccadilly Park will provide an opportunity for novice and experienced players of all ages to enjoy this popular game and build new community connections. This would be London s first public ping pong table. Players would have to bring their own paddles and balls. Piccadilly Park is ideally located for a unique feature like this as it is close to downtown and accessible by public transit.
Dog Waste Bag Dispensers W13.003 20 waste bag dispensers for dog walkers throughout the ward. People will be invited to take-a-bag or leave-abag. They will be installed on existing posts on the sidewalk. Cost and Budget Equipment $1,000 Installation $500 Total $1,500 All Ward 13 Dog walking is a great way to get to know your neighbourhood and community. These poop bag dispensers would make it easier to walk your dog and reduce the amount of dog waste on sidewalks. The dispensers would be replenished by residents and community groups.
New Play Equipment in Blackfriars Park W13.004 New play equipment for toddlers and young kids in the existing play area in Blackfriars Park. Winner! Image(s) Cost and Budget Breakdown Equipment $12,000 Installation $3,000 Total $15,000 Adding a new play structure to this park will give more residents a reason to come out and play with their kids. This will create more opportunities for community connections and improve the overall quality of the park and neighbourhood. Local day cares and families were consulted in the selection of this piece of equipment. It was agreed that something specifically for younger kids would be ideal.
Community Bulletin Boards W13.005 5 community bulletin boards in different neighbourhoods throughout Ward 13. Budget and Costs Materials - $2,000 Installation - $1,000 Total - $3,000 / unit X 5 units = $15,000 All Ward 13 Community Bulletin Boards will help keep residents informed about what s going on in the neighbourhood. These boards will serve to connect the community and ultimately create a stronger neighbourhood for all. This proposal will serve multiple neighbourhoods in Ward 13. The boards will be locked and managed by neighbourhood associations. People who want to post something will have to contact the associations. There will be rules around who can post and what can be posted to ensure community s needs are being met.
Riverforks Artscape Greg Curnoe Tunnel W13.006 Enhance the Greg Curnoe Tunnel with a mural reflecting the activities of people who move in various ways through the landscape (cycling, running, walking, etc.) and improve the lighting. Cost and Budget Materials and Artist Fees - $15,000 Enhancing the Greg Curnoe tunnel would improve the experience of all users of the Thames Valley Parkway, encouraging a healthy active lifestyle. Using the work of currently active London artists would draw attention to London s cultural wealth and highlight the city s artistic history, enriching the tunnel's commemoration of Greg Curnoe. For murals on public property, professional artists must be hired and engaged in the process. This professional artists would consult with the community in development of the mural design. Residents may be involved in the actual painting of the mural, with the oversight of the professional artist.
SoHo Improvements W13.007 Benches installed at bus stops and wayfinding signage throughout the SoHo neighbourhood. Cost and Budget Bench - $1,500 x 9 = $13,500 Wayfinding Sign - $100 x 15 = $1,500 Total - $15,000 There are many seniors living in the SoHo area. Adding benches to many of the bus stops would increase their quality of life and allow them to be more active by providing a spot to sit and take a rest while out for a walk. The wayfinding signage would allow residents and visitors to be more aware of the assets in the neighbourhood. Signs would be pedestrian-oriented and point to local parks, public washrooms, and other neighbourhood assets.
Gleaning Food Forest W13.008 Plant a food forest to be gleaned by community groups for the benefit of people in need. Winner! Cost and Budget $5,000 for trees A gleaning food forest aligns with London s goal of ending poverty in the next generation. Hopefully this would set off a chain reaction where all of London`s neighbourhoods would be planting food forests to increase food security and decrease poverty. Sanctuary London, an agency that works with people experiencing homelessness, has agreed to support the gleaning of the food forest.
Take-an-Umbrella, Leave-an-Umbrella W13.009 Baskets offering city-branded umbrellas to the public, allowing people to take an umbrella when caught in the rain and leave it in a basket once used. Cost and Budget Umbrellas and baskets - $2,000 All Ward 13 These would act like little libraries and will rely on the good will of the community. These umbrellas will improve the quality of life for neighbourhood residents. This would be a small pilot project to test out the concept. If it works in a small scale, it may be expanded to more locations.
Art on Utility Boxes W13.010 Art on 20 utility boxes throughout the ward. The art will have a neighbourhood theme and may include neighbourhood association branding. Winner! Cost and Budget Artist Fee and Materials - $15,000 All Ward 13 Public art brings life to a neighbourhood. This will improve the quality of life in the neighbourhoods and serve to build awareness and identity by focusing the art on neighbourhood themes. Neighbourhood and community groups will be consulted on the designs of the art. Neighbourhood association branding may also be included where possible.
Annual Community Association Gathering W13.011 Pick a time during the year to have all associations within the ward get together for an annual day of education and networking. Like a retreat of sorts with speakers on heritage, planning, upcoming projects such as RT, and developments. Great opportunity to remove silos and develop a cohesive understanding. Cost and Budget Room rental, refreshments and guest speaker - $500.00 All of Ward 13 The impact of this proposal is on creating stronger connections between the different neighbourhood and community associations in Ward 13. The funding would cover the 1 st year and future years would be shared by the different groups.