BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP JUNE 16 – JUNE 22, 2017 5 City budget includes bucks for southern Brooklyn schools, parks, libraries and more BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK MMCGOLDRICKBROOKLYNREPORTER.COM Crucial funding, including signifi cant investments in local schools and parks, is coming southern Brooklyn’s way under the City Council’s recently adopted Fiscal Year 2018 budget. Victories for Councilmember Vincent Gentile’s 43rd Council District – which encompasses portions of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Bath Beach – include $300,000 in funding for roadway resurfacing, $175,000 for renovations to the Fort Hamilton Library and, perhaps most notably, more than $1 million towards schools in District 20. According to Gentile, District 20 will receive $180,000 towards technology upgrades, $50,000 towards playground equipment and a whopping $1.2 million towards classroom renovations and additions. In addition, two local parks – Bath Beach Park and Calvert Vaux Park – will receive nearly $5 million in City Council funding, $4.1 million of which will go to the former to complete renovation of the playground, with the other $750,000 going to the latter for general renovations, such as a revamp of the park’s fi eldhouse. Other district-wide wins include $285,000 towards equipment to assist with trash collection and other sanitation e orts, $164,000 for two new state-of-the-art ambulances for Maimonides Medical Center and more than $1 million towards renovations to the Guild for Exceptional Children’s Olga’s House Residence – the second house Gentile has channeled funding to for the Guild. On a citywide level, Gentile dubbed Fiscal Year 2018 the “Year of the Senior.” This new budget, the pol said, refl ects a commitment to seniors citywide through a record $23 million in baseline funding for things like senior centers, addressing the home care and case management wait lists and weekend Join Us for Our Photo courtesy of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation The playground at Bath Beach Park will be undergoing renovations. meals citywide, as well as the creation of a new Caregiver Support Program. Other noteworthy allocations include $4 million towards supplying city fi refi ghters with a second pair of work boots and $12.5 million towards expanding the universal lunch program in schools citywide and providing breakfast for all elementary school students. “Since my fi rst day in the City Council some 14 years ago, it has been a privilege to fi ght each and every day to improve the lives of the residents 15th Anniversary Celebration Bay Ridge Branch 8110-8112 Fifth Avenue • Bay Ridge, NY 11209 • (718) 238-5800 of Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Bath Beach,” said Gentile. “I am proud of this budget because whether it’s funding to support our seniors, renovate our schools, pave our streets or refurbish our parks, it will positively impact all the many facets of the great 43rd District from Shore Road to Shore Parkway.” This is the fi nal council budget for Gentile, who is term-limited and cannot run for re-election this November, and is running instead for Brooklyn district attorney. Enter for your chance to win June 19th - June 24th Prize Drawing* 40” LCD TV SPECIAL EVENT: Saturday, June 24th 12pm - 2pm Free Popcorn! *Sweepstakes date is Saturday, June 24, 2017 at the Bay Ridge 15th Anniversary Celebration, taking place at the Bay Ridge branch of Roosevelt Savings Bank, a division of New York Community Bank, located at 8110-8112 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209. Sweepstakes Drawing will take place at the Bay Ridge branch on Saturday, June 24, 2017 shortly after 2:00pm from all eligible entries submitted. Entry Forms and Official Rules are available Monday, June 19, 2017 to Saturday, June 24, 2017 during normal business hours at the Bay Ridge branch. © New York Community Bank - Member FDIC
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