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Center for Healthy Aging (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
Paradise Park became unsafe and underused after the pandemic, leaving nearby older adults without a welcoming space for exercise and social connection. The project built full-size bocce ball and shuffleboard courts, added benches and stools in the community garden and hosted a grand opening to showcase improvements. These upgrades revitalized the park, drawing older residents back for outdoor games and gardening. Attendees expressed excitement about forming bocce teams and using the shuffleboard court, signaling renewed community activity and plans for future programs.
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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See More Projects Like This One
Louisville, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: In Louisville's California Neighborhood, decades of disinvestment left residents without safe green space. The project opened phase one of Alberta O. Jones Park, adding fitness stations designed for all ages, especially older adults. Residents helped select equipment, and a ribbon-cutting drew more than 200 people. The park now offers a walkable destination that encourages physical activity and social interaction in one of the city's most underserved neighborhoods, creating a model for community-driven park leadership.
Walcott, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Walcott's tennis courts had deteriorated since 1998, leaving few options for older adults to stay active in a town without fitness facilities. To address this, the city resurfaced one court and converted the other into two pickleball courts with fortified acrylic surfaces near a park and splash pad. The upgrades sparked interest in adult pickleball leagues and youth programs, creating a hub for social engagement and wellness. Residents say the new courts encourage active living and help older adults remain connected to the community.
Willsboro, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: This project will enhance Florence Hathaway Park with shuffleboard courts, an ADA pavilion, and an all-season bathroom. The park will serve residents age 50-plus and promote multi-generational outdoor recreation.
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Reno, NV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital navigation skills
Description: Older adults in Reno faced isolation and barriers to vital information because they lacked digital skills, compounded by transportation and language challenges. The city launched Senior Tech Connect classes in English and Spanish, teaching smartphone basics and advanced features like emergency contacts and medical IDs. Nearly 200 participants gained confidence, supported by bilingual volunteers and take-home materials. The program reduced isolation and boosted independence, prompting plans for expanded sessions. One participant said, "Before attending, my phone felt intimidating... now it's a tool I can enjoy," showing how digital literacy transformed daily life.
Reno, NV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Walk Audits
Description: Uneven sidewalks, unsafe intersections and disrepair in Reno's dining districts made walking difficult, especially for older adults. The organization led walk audits in three districts, gathering firsthand observations and community feedback, even during snowy conditions, to capture real-world challenges. Data from these audits will guide future design and connectivity improvements and strengthen advocacy for upgrades. One participant who attended a pre-walk meeting said that she was encouraged to learn, engage and provide feedback, and she then rallied others to complete the route.
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