Until October 8th, all residents of Tallinn have the opportunity to submit ideas for next year's participatory budget projects. In the past two weeks, 222 proposals have been submitted, with the most active participation coming from the Nõmme and Kesklinn districts.

Deputy Mayor Vladimir Svet expresses gratitude to the people who have already submitted their proposals and invites everyone else to make use of this opportunity. "We are still waiting for your proposals as they are a valuable input for the development of a better urban environment," Svet said. "So far, we have received the most proposals related to sports and leisure opportunities, but the community is also concerned about an eco-friendly urban environment, safety, as well as children and youth. Across all fields, it is clear that many proposals are related to outdoor activities, which is particularly pleasing in the context of this year's focus on physical activity."

In the field of sports and leisure, 74 ideas have been submitted, mainly proposing outdoor gyms, disc golf courses, improvements to Tallinn’s outdoor health trails, and playgrounds. In the categories of an eco-friendly urban environment and safety (62 and 43 proposals, respectively), there has been a strong desire for bicycle storage sheds, the construction of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, the creation of car-free areas, speed limit enforcement, lowering of the kerbs at the edge of the roads, and safer street crossings. Additionally, meadows with wildflowers, green rooftops, and fruit trees are are highly valued by people. A significant number of proposals also address waste sorting, calling for more waste bins and recycling options. Among the 15 ideas in the children and youth category are lower basketball hoops for children, family-friendly playgrounds and streets, and playground shelters. In other fields, a total of 28 ideas have been received.

As in the previous week, Nõmme has been the most active district with 63 ideas, followed by Kesklinn with 48 ideas. Compared to last week, Nõmme has added 34 ideas and Kesklinn 17 ideas. Põhja-Tallinn has received 28 ideas, Lasnamäe 24, Haabersti 17, Mustamäe 14, Kristiine 17, and Pirita 11 ideas. Proposals have been submitted in Estonian (175), Russian (32), and English (15) languages.

Ideas can be submitted digitally on Tallinn's participatory budget website or in paper format at district government offices and Tallinn City Service Office (Vabaduse väljak 7) until October 8, 2023. The proposal must describe the objective of the proposal, justify its significance, specify the location of the proposal, and provide an estimated budget. It is important to remember that the proposed project should be publicly accessible and free to use.

The feasibility of the submitted ideas will be assessed by an expert commission, and the selected ideas will be presented to the public. Residents will be able to cast a vote for their favorite projects from November 20 to December 3. In each city district, at least one project with the most votes that meets the criteria of the participatory budget will be implemented.

One million euros have been allocated in the 2024 budget for the realization of the ideas collected during this year. Of the total amount, 75 percent will be divided equally among city districts, and the remaining 25 percent will be allocated considering the number of residents in each district as of July 1 of the current year.

The idea collection is managed by Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department.

Additional information: participatorybudget.tallinn.ee.