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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.
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Frankfort, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Older adults had no safe outdoor walking option and were forced to loop around a busy parking lot. CORE created a full-loop path with lighting, landscaping and benches for rest stops, plus trash and dog waste stations to keep the area clean. The new path offers a secure, scenic space for walking and biking, encouraging physical activity and social connection. Residents praised the project as a positive use of land that benefits people of all ages and look forward to spending more time outdoors.
Greensboro, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Residents wanted safe outdoor access for mobility and therapy, but uneven terrain limited independence. The project built a nature trail with accessible tread, a boardwalk, and an improved viewing platform. It also added benches and signage to connect with village sidewalks. Now residents, families and staff use the trail for exercise and quiet breaks, and community members walk there daily. "Our new path and viewing platform and benches are being used... as a quiet, serene, restful place to regroup," said staff.
Prineville, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: When organizers with Crook County on the Move asked older adults what they would like to see in Ochoco Creek Park, they overwhelmingly asked for more places to sit along the park's 1.5-mile pathway. So to increase accessibility, the organization installed 12 park benches at 300 foot intervals along the walkway. Each bench has a 4-foot space surrounding it to accommodate wheelchair users and give people a space to park walkers and strollers. Organizers hope the benches inspire older adults and people with mobility challenges to visit the park and reap the benefits of outdoor exercise. Spurred by the success of this project, Crook County on the Move fundraised to install an additional 12 benches along the path. Organizers say they are now looking to install benches in other parks around Crook County.
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.
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