Today we received some great news that Loren Michelle and our friends at The Brooklyn Skate Garden received $300,000 from the City of New York as part of a participatory budgeting community vote for District 39 in Brooklyn. Participatory budgeting is a process of involving residents as young as 11 years old and giving them input on what community initiatives will receive funding. The people spoke, and cast a whopping 3,057 out of 5,446 votes in favor of a downpayment for Loren’s vision of an all-inclusive, outdoor community space revolving around skateboarding, gardening, and art in Brooklyn.

It’s awesome to see community members taking control of their district’s money like this, and hopefully this is a sign of things to come for more areas in New York. “Voters chose to invest in renovations in one of the lowest-income, highest-immigrant schools in the district. They supported mutual aid for neighbors in need of food and diapers. They are dreaming big about shared public spaces, from a new farmstand and immigrant women’s craft market, to an even-better Prospect Park, to a world-class Brooklyn Skate Garden.” Said council member Brad Landers

We’re very happy to see the community come together and get behind the Brooklyn Skate Garden, and know that this is just the beginning for them. Check out some of our past coverage of the BSG cleanups at Fat Kid Skatepark and make sure to keep up to date with future projects and events here.