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City of Bismarck (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
As part of Bismarck's Health in All Policies initiative, the City made improvements to its 16th Street Park, intending to create a sense of place and encourage residents to be active outdoors. To revitalize the park, project organizers installed a new bench, ADA-accessible picnic table and game table. Local artists also designed a mural for a building onsite and decorated walkways with sidewalk chalk art. To complete the activation, volunteers created designs by pushing colorful plastic cups through the park's chain link fences. Additionally, the City conducted a temporary traffic calming demonstration at a nearby roundabout in an effort to make the area safer for pedestrians.
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See More Projects Like This One
Ashland, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A survey showed residents in Ashland wanted more outdoor seating in the city's downtown. As part of larger efforts to revitalize the commercial district the City worked with Ashland Main Street to install decorative benches. The City engaged teams of artists -- including college students and staff from the local food co-op -- to design artwork for the seating. Then, with the help of volunteers, project organizers then installed one bench on every block of Ashland's nine-block commercial area. Each depicts imagery related to the community's identity, including scenes from local history or ecology. Paying homage to nearby Lake Superior, several benches have a water theme. Project organizers say Ashland is known as the mural capital of Wisconsin, and the benches work with other public art installations to draw people to visit downtown.
Rapid City, SD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To increase awareness of the local book club and other community activities, NeighborWorks designed and installed 30 flags in the North Rapid neighborhood. A local artists created designs for the flags and residents worked together to approve wording for each one. Volunteers then installed flags on utility poles throughout the neighborhood. Project organizers say that since the flags appeared, local groups have received inquiries about how to become more involved in local activities.
Driggs, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The City of Driggs hoped to attract residents of all ages to Driggs' new downtown plaza, already home to a popular bocce ball court. The solution Add games. Project organizers set up a concrete foosball table and chess table. They also added chairs built to withstand the elements. A ribbon cutting ceremony drew locals, and now the plaza sees at least 10 people a day playing the interactive games.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Bismarck, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: To build people's knowledge about public transportation, this project created a series of educational videos. The videos teach residents how to use the transit system -- including local fixed-route bus service. Organizers then used the video content in a series of transit workshops.
Bismarck, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Engaging residents alongside thought leaders in problem solving
Description: For decades, Bismarck has welcomed migrants from across the world, including recent arrivals fleeing Russian invasion of Ukraine. To strengthen ties between immigrant families and the wider community, Bismarck Global Neighbors hosted a meal. The event was part of the New Immigrant Leadership Program, which seeks to identify and empower rising leaders in the local immigrant community. At the meal, program participants hailing from Mauritania, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Taiwan and Rwanda shared their experiences. Local leaders -- including city and county officials -- were invited to come, listen and use what they learned to make the community more inviting for all.
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