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Neighbourhood Decision Making program sees Londoners vote for bat boxes, outdoor classrooms and more

Aerial of London Ontario Canada, in August 2008. Kevan D. Ashworth / The Canadian Press

The results for the city-wide Neighbourhood Decision Making program are in.

London was divided into five geographical areas, each receiving $50,000 for neighbourhood projects.

Citizens submitted ideas on how to improve their communities, and on June 16 Londoners voted for which of those projects they would like to see in their neighbourhoods.

“If they were deemed feasible, they went on a ballot,” said the city’s manager of neighbourhood development and support, Karen Oldham.

READ MORE: From benches to parks, Londoners vote on citizen-submitted project proposals

She said there was a real variety of ideas.

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“From bat boxes, which are sort of low-cost idea that a resident had to increase the number of bats in an area in order to decrease the number of mosquitoes, all the way to new playgrounds and parks,” Oldham said.

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Some of the larger projects include:

  • $50,000 for an outdoor classroom and natural playspace at Cedar Hollow Public School
  • $32,600 for an outdoor ice rink in Summerside
  • $30,000 for a Nature Sanctuary in Hyde Park
  • $27,000 for outdoor workout equipment in Springbank Park.

“There’s things that the city will have a big role in implementing, but there’s also a lot the community themselves will do,” said Oldham.

READ MORE: London to vote by ranked ballot in next municipal election

Oldham is confident the program will be back for another round next year.

“There’s always budget considerations, but it will definitely happen in 2019,” she said.

“I think Londoners can look forward to next year and start dreaming up new ideas for their neighbourhood.”

More than 7,100 Londoners voted online or at their local library to help divvy up the funding.

See the full list of winners here.

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