Residents in four wards deciding how to spend four million dollars on infrastructure

Correction: The address for the April 10 expo in the 49th Ward has been corrected since this was originally posted, to 1709 W. Lunt.

There's an exciting opportunity coming up for Chicagoans to make their neighborhoods a better place for biking, walking and transit. This May, four Chicago wards will use Participatory Budgeting to give residents the chance to vote on how to spend $4 million in ward Menu Money on infrastructure.

The mulit-ward process kicked off last fall with neighborhood meetings that solicited thousands of ideas from community members in the participating wards. Over the winter, ward residents formed committees charged with evaluating those ideas and deciding which to put on the ballot.

In April, residents in Ald. Joe Moore’s 49th ward, Ald. Leslie Hairston’s 5th ward, Ald. John Arena’s 45th ward and Ald. James Cappleman’s 46th ward will come together at ten  expos to unveil projects they have proposed to build in their neighborhoods. The expos, which combine elements of a high school science fair and campaign event, will feature volunteers pitching their proposals to other ward residents before voting begins in early May.

If you live in one of these wards, please attend one of the upcoming Project Expos below in your ward. Learn more about all the projects that will appear on the ballot for a public vote in the first week of May. (Look up your ward here.)

5th Ward, Alderman Leslie A. Hairston

• Wed., April 10, 5 p.m.6:30 p.m.-8 p.m., Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside Ave., Chicago, IL 60619
• Sat., April 13, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Location to be determined. Sat. April 20, 12 p.m.-3 p.m., Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S. Cornell Ave., Chicago, IL 60615

45th Ward, Alderman John Arena

• Tue., April 9, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Filament Theatre, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641
• Thur., April 11, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Saint Constance Church, 5843 W. Strong St., Chicago, IL 60630
• Sat., April 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Copernicus Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60630

46th Ward, Alderman James Cappleman

• Sat., April 6, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Uplift High School, 900 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago, IL 60640
• Mon., April 8, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Preston Bradley Center, 941 W Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60640

49th Ward, Alderman Joe Moore

• Wed., April 3, 7 p.m., United Church of Rogers Park, 1545 W. Morse Ave., Chicago, IL 60626
• Thur., April 4, 7 p.m., Pottawatomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers Ave., Chicago, IL 60626
• Wed., April 10, 7 p.m., St. Jerome's Church Parish Center, 1709 W. Lunt, Chicago, IL 60616 (Spanish Language Expo)

For more information, visit PB Chicago or contact your alderman.