See More Projects Like This One

Monmouth, OR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: This project will activate a pedestrian alley connecting City Hall with a nearby senior center. The city will gather the community's feedback on two design options for the space, which will incorporate seating, shade structures and outdoor games.

San Jose, CA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the local economy in San Jose's Washington neighborhood. To help meet the community's needs, Veggielution hosted free arts and environmental education programming. The local nonprofit, which aims to connect people through food and farming, invited people to the SoFa pocket park, which the organization created on the site of an underused parking lot. Events included a monthly garden art workshop and live musical and theater performances by local arts organizations. Additionally, Veggielution worked with a local arts school to create a mural for the pocket park. The activities helped link residents to resources, such as food assistance and entrepreneurship training, and connected local nonprofit organizations to each other, creating a better web of support for the community.

Sleepy Eye, MN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The project will create walkable access and rest areas connecting the senior center, museum, Chief Sleepy Eye Monument, Veterans Park, and local shops. It will include benches, trash receptacles, flowerpots, and a mural.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Reedsville, WV

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will install an ADA-compliant water fountain in a town park that is undergoing renovation.

Kingwood, WV

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Although this project originally set out to expand social activities at Decker's Creek Park, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to pivot. Instead, the Preston County Parks and Recreation Commission made improvements to the park's green space to increase walkability and accessibility for park visitors. They added an accessible picnic table, raised garden beds, trash cans, an information kiosk and a wooden sign for the park. They also planted the garden beds with pollinator-friendly perennials, with plans to invite the local Master Gardeners to use the plots in the future. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Commission painted and replaced boards on the park's pedestrian bridge. Since these upgrades, the Commission reports more visitors to the park, as well as an uptick in youth volunteer service. Recent projects include a new picnic table, outdoor classroom, little free library and bench.

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