New Bedford, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Long stretches of Buttonwood Park's walkway lacked seating, making walks difficult for older adults and discouraged activity. Friends of Buttonwood Park installed eight benches along the southern half of the park, added wheelchair-accessible slab extensions and created a brochure showing bench locations. The additions make walking easier and more enjoyable, promoting health and social interaction. Residents say the benches let them rest, relax and stay active in the park.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Milner, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Milner needed a safer more accessible park where older adults could gather comfortably since limited seating, shade and lighting made it difficult to enjoy the space. The city built a fully ADA compliant shaded pavilion, added ADA compliant benches and tables, planted shade trees and improved visibility. This created a cooler, more usable environment. These upgrades encouraged residents to use the park during community activities and strengthened its role as a gathering place. The improvements are expected to support year-round use and have prompted plans for future enhancements, including upgraded playground equipment as the city continues engaging residents on long-term park needs.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

San Antonio, TX

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Palomino Park offers older adults living in San Antonio's South Side a no-cost space to exercise. To help residents stay fit, the Alamo Colleges Foundation created a fitness trail by installing 12 pieces of fitness equipment along the park's walking loop. To shield visitors from the sun and allow them to exercise in the summer heat, volunteers also added a shade structure. Today, the park hosts fitness activities, including yoga sessions, lessons on proper stretching techniques and nutrition training. To reach more people, the sessions are streamed online. Organizers hope the fitness trail improves community members' physical and mental health for years to come.