10 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP • APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2016 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/file photo Renovations to Sunset Park are coming thanks to this year’s participatory budgeting results. Menchaca announces results of participatory budgeting projects BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] They came in record numbers. The results for the 38th Council District’s third annual Participatory Budgeting (PB) Vote Week were announced by Councilmember Carlos Menchaca on Tuesday, April 26. From Saturday, March 26 through Sunday, April 3, community members from Sunset Park and Red Hook had the opportunity to vote at several sites in the neighborhoods on how to spend a portion of public funds allocated to the district. Menchaca implemented PB for the district at the start of his term in 2014. The councilmember addressed the record turnout and the passion of voters in the Sunset Park and Red Hook area. “Thank you for your support and involvement in Participatory Budgeting in District 38,” the Councilmember said in a statement. “We are proud to announce that our district collected over 6,300 votes, claiming the highest citywide participation rates for the third consecutive year.” Sunset parents were pleased with both the voting process and this year’s results. “It sure was a great experience, especially to see parents from P.S. 169 so active in getting what was needed for our kids to be done,” said P.S. 169 President PTA Mimi Ferrer. “It’s also a great way to inform the community that there are many needs and not all of them can be done at the same time, but to prioritize by voting in it is a great way to start.” This year, Sunset Park schools were big winners, as well as neighborhood upgrades. Coming in first place is “Renovations for Sunset Park,” which received 3,494 votes. The project, costing approximately $500,000, includes repaving, installing 20 new benches, replacing existing dilapidated chain-link fences, and adding picnic tables. For second place, 3,168 residents voted in favor of $450,000 towards the library media center at Sunset Park High School, 153 35th Street. Coming in at third is the installation of electronic “locator” signs throughout the district. This project — the most expensive, coming in at $600,000 — will install electronic arrival time bus signs along area bus routes. Rounding out the winning projects are the renovation of bathrooms at P.S. 169 (4305 Seventh Avenue), costing $380,000, and the building of multi-purpose auditoriums that are also handicap-accessible community spaces at the I.S. 136 Charles O Dewey School (4004 Fourth Avenue). “I want to thank everyone who participated in District 38’s PB Cycle 5,” added Menchaca. “Whether you submitted an idea during a neighborhood assembly, attended a budget delegate committee meeting, volunteered at a polling site, joined us at a PB Expo, or came out to vote for your favorite projects, thank you.” With excitement about the winning projects high, residents hope it won’t take too long for them to come to fruition. “I just hope that it doesn’t take years to see the change happen because parents are still asking about our other project that won last year for our double doors and yet we haven’t heard anything from that,” Ferrer added. “I also hope this doesn’t discourage people from playing a part. A follow up discussion about how the game works would be great with Menchanca and our school parents because we all want to know the next steps.” Sunset Parker celebrates 100th birthday with family and friends in neighborhood BY JAIME DEJESUS [email protected] A long-time Sunset Park resident only gets better with age. A family from the neighborhood just celebrated the 100th birthday of Isabel Argentina Rodriguez Espinal. On Saturday, April 16 at Widdi Catering Hall, 5602 Sixth Avenue, over 140 family and friends from Colorado, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida traveled to Sunset to celebrate the milestone. Her descendants include nine children, 35 grandchildren, 70 great grandchildren and 29 great, great grand-children. “We made it like a family reunion,” said granddaughter of Espinal, Maritza Peralta. “My nephew is in the Air Force and is stationed in Florida and Photos courtesy of Maritza Peralta Sunset Park resident Isabel Argentina Rodriguez Espinal celebrates her 100th birthday with friends and family. came to the event. My daughter is in the National Guard and she came for the weekend as well. We were so thrilled they came.” Festivities included music, food, storytelling and even the presentation of a letter from New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, congratulating Espinal on her milestone. “We heard remarkable stories. We made a big memory book with all the cousins,” Paralta added. “It was like a big family tree event. It was lot of fun. We also did a slideshow of kids and great grandchildren. She definitely enjoyed it.” Although the birthday girl was hesitant to attend the celebration, she appreciated every minute, according to Paralta. “At first, she didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay in bed praying. But we told her that this whole day was for you,” she explained. “She came and stayed until the end in her wheelchair. We had a toast and she enjoyed the toast and strawberry champagne. She hasn’t seen so many people in such a long time. She’s used to seeing the immediate family. She was so happy to see all of them.” Espinal was born on April 12, 1916 in Santiago Dominican Republic in a town called Boca de Los Rios. She married her husband Rafael David Espinal Perez and together, they had nine children. “She moved to Sunset in the 1960’s and lived on 43rd street between Third and Fourth Avenues and then she moved to 59th and Fourth,” her granddaughter said. “She worked in factories on Third Avenue and at an ironing clothing factory. Her mom died when she was less than 10 years old.” Most of Espinal’s family was all born and raised here in the Sunset Park area, and her uncle had business here. Of her nine children, three have passed away. Currently, Espinal lives with Peralta’s mother. “She’s lived with her since the 90’s, especially after my grandfather passed away,” she said. “It’s been hard but my mom takes great care of her.” When it was over, the birthday bash was deemed a success. “It was an unforgettable moment. We gathered pictures through the years with her as far back as we could, during her early twenties,” she said. “We wanted to stay until the morning. You could hear stories. Grandma got up and shared stories. It’s a blessing to us that we saw this milestone.”
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