AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
Richlands had few accessible parks, leaving older adults and people with disabilities without safe spaces for fitness or social connection. The "Fit for Life" project added wheelchair-accessible swings, air walkers and benches to an underused park, while volunteers brightened the space with colorful features. Now, older adults can exercise, socialize and join community outings in a park designed for everyone. "I had the best day," said one visitor, capturing the joy and renewed sense of belonging this project brings. Plans for similar parks in other communities are already underway.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Anchorage, AK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Part of larger efforts to create its Sea Services Memorial Park, this project created an accessible plaza on the waterfront. The memorial is located at the USS Anchorage anchor site to honor two ships of that name, as well as the Navy's role in Dutch Harbor during World War II. Organizers worked to landscape the site and add seating. Additionally, they installed storyboards, which describe the ships' history and the local significance of the Sea Services. The park showcases the USS Anchorage's newly restored anchor, which weighs 22,500 pounds. Organizers say the gathering space is especially important for veterans, who make up a large share of Alaska's population.
Randolph, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: To give residents the opportunity to express themselves and connect with each other, Sunrise Rotary Club installed outdoor musical instruments near the town's recreational field. The new Harmony Park features chimes, drums, a xylophone, Imbarimbas and a harp. The Club also added benches to the space, along with a welcome sign informing visitors about the instruments.
Pollock Pines, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: This project set out to create a park, where Pollock Pines residents can gather. Following community engagement efforts, organizers with Community Economic Development Association Pollock Pines decided to highlight local history through the greenspace's design, paying tribute to early settlers, the Old West, the Pony Express, wagon trains and the gold mining and logging industries. To give residents a place to exercise, they also incorporated fitness equipment specifically designed for older adults.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Abingdon, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Older adults struggled to access the Coomes Recreation Center because accessible parking was 340 feet from the entrance and few knew how to use local transit. The project moved seven accessible spaces closer to the door, added ADA upgrades and clear signage, and worked with the local public transit provider to make the center a regular bus stop. It also produced educational videos and held training sessions to teach people how to navigate public transit. These changes improved safety and independence. One participant said closer parking now lets him drive himself to therapy, a shift that underscores the project's impact.
Bluefield, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Lifelong housing and accessibility
Description: This project will renovate the historic Hotel Thelma into 10 affordable apartments for older adults and a restaurant. It will include solar panels, an intergenerational garden, and exhibits on Thelma Stone's legacy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect 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 Virginia State Office
901 E Byrd Street
Suite 1005
Richmond, VA 23219
United States