City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Sidewalks in East Cambridge, Wellington/Harrington, Area IV/Port, and Cambridgeport

Street trees cool the city, absorb pollution, and make our neighborhoods more livable! Vote to plant 100 new trees & build tree wells in the areas that need them most, along with educational signage so you can learn about your “green neighbors."

Community Learning Center, 5 Western Avenue

At the Community Learning Center, students can improve their English or pursue a High School Equivalency Diploma. The CLC has 18 laptops and 12 ThinkPads for 630 adult learners. This project would fund 20 additional laptops, keyboards, mice and storage cart for the students.

Citywide

This project will fund the purchase of 300-350 bilingual books for Cambridge children in the Agenda for Children’s Literacy Initiative project who are learning English, learning to read, and have limited/no access to books in their home language.

Central Square

24-hour access public toilet near Central Square, similar to the one currently underway in Harvard Square. The exact location will be determined through a public process.

8 locations around Cambridge

Install 8 bike repair stations with tools and bike pumps around the City for cyclists to quickly, easily, and freely fix routine bike problems.  Locations include 2 libraries, 2 T stops, 3 parks (includes Inman Sq), and Fresh Pond Parkway.

Public space outside 4 Youth Centers, the Golf Course, and Water Department

Install special outdoor wifi access points to offer free public wifi in the public space surrounding the Area IV, Frisoli, Gately, and Moore Youth Centers, as well as the Fresh Pond Golf Course and Cambridge Water Department.

Russell Field FieldHouse, Rindge Ave

A middle-school student in North Cambridge proposed installing a mural in his neighborhood that “shows the community of Cambridge.” The mural will be installed on the Russell Field Fieldhouse.

East Cambridge (48 Sixth Street)

The furniture at the O’Connell library is quite worn down. This proposal would provide the library with new tables, chairs, computer workstations, and loveseats for parents and children to read together.

13 locations - 1 in each neighborhood. Focus on parks, community gardens, or dog parks.

Informal Book Exchanges are already popular in Cambridge on streets and at the DPW yard. This project would install 13 Little Free Libraries (Book Exchanges) to support literacy, community engagement, and fun throughout the streets of our city.

Rindge Avenue at Comeau Field, North Cambridge

This project entails a major redesign and renovation, with community participation, of the 83 bus shelter. New features will include acrylic panels with cut-out figures and a roof element evocative of nearby recreation and natural habitat.

13 City Profile Areas of Cambridge

Hang banners in 13 strategic high-traffic, high-density business and neighborhood areas to identify commercial and/or neighborhood-specific local areas in Cambridge. This would support commerce, diversity, and neighborhood integrity.

Location to be determined through a community process

A Dutch Traffic Garden, called “Safety School” in the U.S., is a permanent park for children to learn transportation etiquette by role playing. Kids take turns biking, walking, and driving a miniature streetscape in a safe environment.

Inman Square

Install 2 real time bus arrival monitors with digital displays at the bus shelters at Cambridge Street & Hampshire Street and Cambridge Street & Inman Street.

Throughout Cambridge

Raised beds for food plants, placed at sites around town determined by city staff, consulting with residents. Plant materials, such as flower bulbs, for planting on other city land, distributed to residents in several locations.

An area within Riverside Press Park at River Street & Memorial Drive.

The Peace Garden memorial will include benches and stones or objects reflecting names of loved ones from Cambridge who lost their lives to violence. An area of Riverside Press Park will be transformed into a place of tranquility and reflection.

Russell Field where Harvey Street meets Alewife Linear Park

The new North Cambridge Community Garden in the northeast corner of Russell Field will build community, provide healthy food, and promote wellness and environmental awareness.

Danehy Park

Install outdoor body-weight fitness equipment for stretching, strength building, and plyometric exercises at Danehy Park.

Raymond Park

Beautify the community garden at Raymond Park through the addition of fencing, a partial retaining wall, landscaping and plantings, and furnishings.

Gore Street Park, East Cambridge

Convert part of Gore Street Park (Gold Star Mother’s Park) into a dog park with clear signage, a clean area for dogs to run, benches, and water fountains for dogs and owners.

Danehy Park

Build an amphitheater in Danehy Park for outdoor performances, music, stories, and other cultural events that the whole community can enjoy.