How many times have you thought to yourself: This place needs a bench. Or a new park. Or something else. In Brno, you can respond to such thoughts not with a sigh, but with a click. The ‘Dáme na vás’ (‘Over to you’) scheme will see CZK 35 million from the municipal budget allocated to positive impact projects proposed and chosen by Brno residents. However, there are only a few days left to help decide the winning projects, as the voting will end on Sunday, 30 November. Foreign nationals can also vote if you have permanent or temporary residence in Brno.
In the 9th year of the participatory budgeting initiative, 80 projects have made it through to the final round of voting. Anyone who has permanent residence in Brno and is over 18 years old can vote. Each participant has five positive votes and two negative votes, which they can assign to any of the selected projects. The aim of the project is for people to not only be passive residents, but also co-creators of the city in which they live.
Positive impact in Brno: Playgrounds, green oases, and help for the sick
The participatory budget scheme is not just about planning for the future, but also about seeing projects come to life from previous years of voting. Thanks to joint efforts, more than 60 projects have already been completed, and are now used by residents across the city.
This month, one such project to be officially opened was the newly renovated playground in Lesná near Blažkova Elementary School and Kindergarten. The original playground, which had long been in need of renovation, has been completely reconstructed into a modern and safe children’s area, equipped with high climbing frames, rope elements, a football goal, basketball hoop, and ping-pong table.
The volleyball court surface in Lužánky has also been completely reconstructed, with the addition of drainage and a modern ecological sprinkler system. The goal was to ensure safe sports, reduce dust, and increase the capacity and usability of the popular volleyball courts through better maintenance.
The Green Oasis project creates new places for relaxation and meeting in Řečkovice and Medlánky. By building green areas with bookshelves, water features for cooling down or watering trees, and bird feeders, the project has created spaces that actively involve the public in the care of greenery.
In addition to investment projects, the participatory budget also provides funding for very sensitive issues, such as a project completed this year that included comprehensive support for children undergoing oncological treatment. The budget supported tutoring, trips to nature, summer camps, theater performances, webinars and many other activities designed to alleviate the consequences of the disease and improve the quality of life for children, adolescents, and their families.
One week left to vote
The participatory budget scheme allocates municipal resources to help residents themselves change Brno for the better. Voting is simple and only takes a few minutes, but it will affect the appearance of the city for a much longer time.
You can vote online via the website paro.damenavas.cz or with a verified Brno iD account, but there are also several options for those who prefer personal contact. On Wednesday, 26 November, the participatory budget coordinators will be on Česká between 2 pm and 5 pm to assist with voting, and provide more information about the projects. Residents can also vote in person at the Participation Department of the Brno City Hall at Husova 3, or at branches of the Jiří Mahen Library.
Foreign nationals can also vote if you have permanent or temporary residence in Brno. In order to be assigned a voting token, you must first verify your details with the coordinators after prior e-mail / telephone agreement. To verify your details, bring your residence permit with you.
An exhibition of projects is on display on Mendlovo náměstí until the end of the month, and all completed projects are available to view in the online gallery on the website.
