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La Union, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: An abandoned baseball field turned walking trail lacked lighting, leaving older adults feeling unsafe after dark and limiting outdoor activity. Volunteers installed 12 solar lights along the trail and added desert landscaping with crushed rock, seating rocks and metal art near the community center. Outreach included flyers and social media to showcase improvements. Lighting now enables evening walks and community events, boosting safety and camaraderie. Residents expressed pride in the beautified space, and plans include murals and benches. One participant said, "Out here, lights are very essential because it is pitch black... We need to feel safe."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Independence, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Sunset Meadows Park lacked accessible play areas and seating, leaving older adults and families without safe spaces to gather. The city addressed this by installing nature play equipment, ADA swings, a hill slide and seating for small groups. It also added lighting and a safety surface for year-round use. Volunteers planted trees to add shade and improve water management. The upgrades created an active, age-friendly space that encourages outdoor activity and social connection while strengthening the city's park network. The Mayor said, "This park is a reminder of what we can accomplish together."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
West St. Paul, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Kennedy Park was underused and lacked features for all ages, leaving older adults without inviting spaces. The city hosted three engagement events - a community meal, a movie night and a paint-the-pavement mural. These were attended by more than 200 participants. It also added a recreation trailer for pop-up activities and commissioned an artist-designed bench to provide seating. These efforts rebuilt trust and shaped a new concept plan for the park, sparked an arts initiative and secured new funding. One resident said that they were extremely thankful the designs reflected the community's vision.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Helper City, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Helper City Library's Dark Sky Observer Club is a group of predominately older adults with a passion for dark skies and astronomy. To encourage new residents to share in their love of outer space -- and to get help residents stay active -- the City of Helper created a Solar System walk along the local riverwalk. The one-mile path features a signpost for each planet in the Solar System, installed at intervals proportional to each planet's distance from the sun. Additionally, the signs display a QR codes, which link to audio recordings with more information about each planet. Organizers have divided the path into several smaller walks, including Mission to Mars and a comet's journey. Helper is a certified dark skies community and organizers hope the project helps educate visitors about the importance of containing light pollution.
Price, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Many older adults in the region faced food insecurity and few chances to connect with others in a safe outdoor space. SCAP began building an accessible community garden by installing raised beds, completing water infrastructure, adding wildlife fencing and planting shade trees with help from volunteers. These steps created the foundation for a shared space where people of all ages and abilities can grow produce and learn gardening skills. During planting work, older adults from the nearby senior center stopped to ask questions, and one woman said the chance to volunteer and receive produce would make a real difference for her. The garden is expected to reduce isolation, improve access to fresh food and become a long-term hub for learning, connection and healthier living.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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