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Age-Friendly Readfield with Town of Readfield (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Organizers with Age-Friendly Readfield knew their town was in need of a facelift. To help meet the needs of residents facing food insecurity, they provided a local food bank with a sandwich sign board, rolling delivery cart and new cooler. They also upgraded the town library's outdoor space by adding Adirondack chairs and tables. Finally, they provided chairs and a kayak dock for Readfield's beach. A multigenerational group of volunteers cleaned up both the library park and beach. Organizers say these same volunteers will now be involved in programming at both outdoor spaces.
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Aberdeen, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Two permanent benches will be installed near the rose gardens at a local arboretum. The seating will provide adults age 50-plus with a safe, comfortable place to rest, enjoy nature and socialize.
Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project helped prepare the ground for Rachael Wilson Memorial Park, named in honor of Maryland's first woman firefighter to be killed in the line of duty. To clear room for park amenities, Bon Secours Community Works removed two sections of concrete foundation, left over from the foundations of abandoned homes that once sat on the site. Project organizers also planted 30 trees. The new greenspace is the result of a grassroots effort by two longtime West Baltimore residents and advocates. Today, the park features new playground equipment and a mural painted by a local artist, which pays tribute to Rachael Wilson.
Gooding, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The Gooding Public Library Foundation converted an unused area of West Park into a community commons. Located near Gooding's library, city hall and police station, the site now features accessible picnic tables, shade canopies and lidded trash cans. The library now uses the site for a variety of activities, including story time and science experiments. Library patrons, workers on lunch break and other community members also gather in the space. The library now plans to install a little free library in the park.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Readfield, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Readfield's Age-Friendly Committee set out to enhance the town's public spaces and draw the community together. They purchased outdoor furniture to activate two spaces -- one outside the local public library and the other at Readfield Beach on Maranacook Lake. The beach's moveable Adirondack chairs give visitors a change to interact with each other. Additionally, the tables and chairs at the library allow residents to access free Wi-Fi service, even when the library building is closed. Library visitors of all wages can also rest there after enjoying the nearby story walk.
Mount Vernon, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: To help older adults remain in their homes, the Mount Vernon Community Partnership Coalition created a tool library stocked with home repair and gardening tools. A subsequent grant allowed the tool library to move out of the town office's basement to an adjacent shed for ease of storage and tool accessibility. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the opening of the tool library, but once it did open, the gardening tools proved most popular. The Coalition recently relocated the shed and turned over tool library operations to the local Grange, which focuses on gardening and growing food. Adjacent communities also sought out the Coalition's experience to evaluate opening their own tool library.
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