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Foley, AL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Organizers thought Foley Park -- a small green space next to a middle school -- had untapped potential. Foley Main Street and the City of Foley transformed the park into a local music destination. Redubbing the space Freenotes Harmony Park, Foley Main Street installed a collection of outdoor musical instruments, including contrabass chimes, an orange swirl, a yellow imbraimba and rainbow drums. The instruments are designed to be easy to play -- similar to a xylophone, the imbarimba has 22 fiberglass keys of varying lengths, which sit atop metal chimes. Visitors can play the instrument by striking the keys with the attached mallets. The instruments weren't the only upgrade to the pocket park. The City also assed an amphitheater with lights, power outlets and an ADA-compliant stage. Since their installation, the instruments have created an outdoor classroom for middle school students on weekdays, as well as a gathering place for residents of all ages on evenings and weekends.

Billings, MT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will add signage to Lillis Park that will encourage older adults to pursue their walking and exercise goals.

South Milford, IN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will expand a local park by clearing an area overgrown with weeds and creating ADA-compliant trails onsite. The organization will also install wheelchair-accessible benches.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Missoula, MT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement

Description: Missoula's Transportation Planning hoped to improve safety at a busy intersection in the Riverfront neighborhood, while also giving people a space to gather. First, project organizers asked residents and local business owners for their ideas to improve the streetscape. Ahead of activating the intersection, the city's public works department made upgrades to pavement and water mains. Based on community feedback, Missoula Transportation Planning then created bulb-outs, which extend the curb into the intersection, giving pedestrians extra space, making them more visible to drivers and shortening the distance needed to cross the road. Curb ramps make the crosswalks accessible. To create a seating area, they also created two parklets -- mini-parks that fit in the footprint of on-street parking spaces. The parklets featured art, a space to park bikes and decorative foliage.

Missoula, MT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters

Description: A series of walk audits at regional farmers markets will identify potential sidewalk, crosswalk and accessibility improvements. The Coalition will recruit older adults to conduct the audits and compensate them for their time.

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Suite 301
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