Record turnout as Londoners vote for $250,000 worth of neighbourhood projects

William Hollis, 12, wants a new playground at Cleardale Public School.

“We have a playground in our school but it's pretty old, and our principal says it doesn't even pass safety anymore,” said Hollis, who showed up to vote for the project at South London Community Centre.

The new equipment was one of the ideas submitted in the Neighbourhood Decision Making program.

Hollis was one of a record number of voters.

“In the first day we had 1,500 people vote online and we've already surpassed the number of online voters that we had last year, and we still have a whole day to go,” said Jennifer Martino, manager of neighbourhood development and support with the City of London.

Saturday voting was open until 4 p.m. in person and 8 p.m. online.

A new playground at Cleardale Public School in London is one of the ideas eligible in the Neighbourhood Decision Making program on Nov. 9, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)The program launched in 2017 gives Londoners in five areas of the city a chance to submit ideas and earn money to make them come to life.

This year, they switched the program to allow for up to three small projects (under $15,000) and one big project (over $15,000).

“We saw a record-breaking number of ideas submitted this year,” said Martino. “They came from every single ward in the city, and 80 per cent of neighborhoods in the city had an idea that was represented through idea submission phase.”

There were 99 ideas on the ballots.

“They just asked me to vote, they have a basketball court which I voted for,” said Mustafa Gharib. “I really do enjoy playing basketball, especially, like, in the summer. We have some courts, but the ground is messed up. We need a new one at Virginia Park.”

William Hollis, 12, votes for in the Neighbourhood Decision Making program as coordinator Jennifer Martino looks on, on Nov. 9, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London) Since the program’s inception, many of these ideas have popped up around the city.

“We're still seeing those projects come to life,” said Martino.

“There's a new basketball court in Jesse Davidson Park, and just last week I was speaking to the young man who submitted that idea. He is a high school student and he goes and checks on the construction every day, and he's talking to the people working on that. He's really happy to get off the street playing basketball, and get onto a court with his friends where it's safer and more fun to play.”

The city will suspend this program for the next couple of years due to the increasing budget.