See More Projects Like This One

Sisseton, SD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To encourage residents to walk and increase the vibrancy of Sisseton's downtown, The Sisseton Arts Council created a new community gathering spot, which they dubbed the Midway Green Space. The site features a sculpture of a reflective, eight-point star, designed to represent the area's native Dakota and Scandinavian immigrant heritage. To make the Green Space inviting to visitors, volunteers installed granite benches and seeded native grasses. Since these improvements, project organizers secured funding for a second sculpture for the site, created by a local Native artist.

Rochester, MN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: After the City of Rochester cut its parks and recreation budget during the COVID-19 pandemic, many small parks in Rochester fell into disrepair. To address this, Family Service Rochester improved a pocket park in the City's Friendship Park neighborhood, a diverse, low-income area of the city. This project added new trees, benches and a multilingual information kiosk. A volunteer team dug holes, planted, watered and staked trees. Others chipped in to keep the park free of litter. Organizers say the project demonstrated that residents will invest their time to improve their neighborhood. After the project's completion, volunteers from the initiative were inspired to improve other parks in the area.

Grand Rapids, MI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: This project will enlist volunteers of all ages to repaint faded sidewalk art, improving wayfinding and walkability. The playful design will visually connect the sidewalks to a nearby pedestrian plaza and green spaces.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Camp Verde, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project aimed to make Heritage Pool more inviting and accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The City of Campe Verde added hard-surface area onsite, with shade structures to protect visitors from the sun's rays. They also picnic tables and launched recreational programming onsite, including exercise and Aqua Zumba classes.

Tuba City, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement

Description: This project replaced a crumbling, 1,000-foot sidewalk connecting the Tuba City Police Department to the local community center and health clinic.

LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED

Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages

people icon

Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities

download icon

Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter

mail icon

Don't see your community listed?

LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORK

Connect with your AARP State Office

AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

AARP Arizona State Office

7250 N 16th Street
Suite 302
Phoenix, AZ 85020
United States

Phone: 866-389-5649
Fax: 602-256-2928
Email: [email protected]