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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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Project Category: Public space activation
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Rapid City, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
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Avoca, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Avoca's Main Street already had green space and places to sit, but Avoca Public Library organizers wanted to give residents a reason to spend time downtown. To invite people in, they installed oversized, weather-proof musical instruments outside the library. Since the instruments don't require any training or talent to play, they are popular with residents of all ages. Part of the town's creative placemaking plans, the new music park is located near the site of Avoca's weekly summer farmer's market. "It's a fun part of the town now," Avoca resident Sunshine Schoeller said.
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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