Winning ideas of Tallinn’s first participatory budget announced

In five of eight districts, voters have given preference to health trail and mobility infrastructure

Tallinn City Government has announced the results of the first participatory budget vote initiated in the Estonian capital. Voting was deemed a success, with 5,1 percent of residents with the right to vote (19 570 in total) taking part in the referendum on the ideas of the participatory budget proposed by fellow Tallinners.

Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of 18 543 participants cast their votes electronically, while 1 027 did it on paper. Voting was open to all registered city dwellers over the age of 14. Everyone was allowed to vote for up to two ideas they liked to be implemented in their district.

Fierce competition

Amid fierce competition of presented ideas in all 8 administrative districts, in five of them voters preferred the development of mobility and health trail infrastructure. So, in Lasnamäe, the project to renovate the Mustakivi pedestrian tunnel won most support; in the City centre, the idea of ​​placing drinking taps along health trails prevailed; and in North Tallinn, the drive to build the Kass August's promenade on Kopli Street came on top.

Winning ideas will be implemented in each district, but since voting was so close in some of them, runners-up will also be taken into consideration with a view of eventual implementation.

In Kristiine, for example, just one vote separated the winning idea of building a Japanese miniforest on Tildri Street from the second place winner - the initiative to build a low-rise adventure trail with illuminated trails in Löwenruh Park along Algi Street. 

"In the City Centre and Kristiine, we see the opportunity and the need to implement the idea of ​​both the first and the second place, there is also funding for it. We will probably also implement some projects with a supplementary budget in Tallinn," said Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart, quoted by the city website.

Second idea-gathering session ahead  

Tallinn City Government has earmarked EUR 800 000 for its first participatory budget project for the financial year 2021. The process of participatory budgeting is not over yet, as a new idea-gathering session will unfold in the second half of this year. The city administration also plans to gather feedback from idea submitters and the community to make the process smoother.

You can see the winning ideas by district on the Tallinn participatory budget website.