AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
City of Charleston with Keep Charleston Beautiful (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
Hampstead Square is Charleston's oldest public green space. But the square had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect, made worse by flooding. Keep Charleston Beautiful partnered with the City of Charleston to launch a multi-year park revitalization, part of broader work to bring greenspace to the community. They installed an irrigation system and updated landscaping. To give nearby residents free internet access, they also set up a Wi-Fi hotspot. Volunteers -- including community members and local businessowners -- helped complete the work and chip in additional funding. Inspired by the progress, organizers later added a new historic marker and statue of famed Charleston blacksmith Philip Simmons, which inform visitors about the park's legacy. Since the improvements, the space has hosted health and fitness activities, youth programs and free outdoor movie screenings.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Gastonia, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: The Highland neighborhood lacked a safe outdoor space for older adults, as overgrown land and debris limited use of the existing garden. Keep Gastonia Beautiful expanded the garden by clearing the wooded area, adding accessible raised beds, installing ADA-friendly paths and placing new seating and fencing. Volunteers helped build structures and prepare the site while community workshops encouraged participation. The improvements increased safety, supported gardening and social activities and laid the groundwork for long-term features like shade structures and art installations. These are expected to strengthen the space as a gathering place for older adults.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Cimarron, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: The City of Cimarron added a pickleball court to a park already used by residents for daily walks, responding to a lack of low impact recreation and places to linger. Older adults wanted more ways to stay active and social close to home, but the park offered few features that encouraged gathering. The new court was built alongside the walking path, giving residents options to play, watch games or stop and talk. As construction progressed, walkers followed the work closely, building interest and a sense of shared ownership before the court opened. Residents age 50 and over have embraced the court as a reason to move more and spend time with neighbors. The addition has helped the park function as a lively meeting place and aligns with broader city efforts to strengthen walkability and long term use of public spaces.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Mounds, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: City Park was deteriorating and lacked accessible features for older adults and people with disabilities. The project installed ADA-compliant benches and picnic tables, added concrete pads and walkways, upgraded bathrooms with grab bars and accessible fixtures and provided umbrellas for shade. Volunteers, including older adults, helped build and install the new amenities. These improvements made the park more welcoming and sparked momentum for future upgrades. One resident noted online, "...to have a community to be proud of, everyone has to pitch in and help." Plans include adding lighting and exploring new features like barbecue areas.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Charleston, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The American College of the Building Arts installed benches and a new pergola to create a multigenerational gathering space at the Community's Hope Impact Center, a local community center. The College saw the installation process as an opportunity for education, holding workshops on masonry where volunteers helped lay bricks for the space's walkway. With a goal of preserving, enriching and educating about architectural heritage, the organization trains artisans in traditional building crafts, such as carpentry and forging architectural iron. It was founded in the wake of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which damaged or destroyed much of coastal South Carolina's historic architecture.
Charleston, SC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: The West Ashley Greenway in Charleston is an eight-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail, which is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists. However, the greenway crosses several busy streets, leading to accidents between vehicles and pedestrians. To fix this, a team of volunteers created three artistic crosswalk murals, designed to calm traffic. They also installed signage which reminds drivers to look out for people crossing the roadway. "Community members need to be able to get access to places without driving, and to feel safe when they're walking and biking," project director Katie Zimmerman said. "Doing this even in small ways will get more people active and out of their cars."
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP South Carolina State Office
1201 Main Street
Suite 1720
Columbia, SC 29201
United States