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Glenns Ferry, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The City of Glenns Ferry activated a neglected plot of land into a new, multigenerational park, which they named the Oregon Short Line Park. The space was previously the site of another park, which the City removed in 1980, leaving the land to sit in disrepair. Improvements include a new basketball court, a paved area for other games, a shade structure, benches and ADA-accessible swings designed for children, infants, adults and people with disabilities. In addition, the local branch of Future Farmers for America created an interactive musical installment comprised of a playable bell and a beat wall. Located near the city's historic museum, the Oregon Short Line Park is the only park on Glenns Ferry's south side. In the future, the City plans to add landscaping and xeriscaping.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To promote walkability, economic development and better quality of life for residents, the Chicago Department of Transportation created a replicable prototype for a People Spot. Consisting of a wooden platform, the People Spots transform on-street parking spaces into outdoor patios. To help neighborhood groups set up their own People Spots, the City published construction plans and an assembly manual for the parklets online. Part of the City's Livable Streets Program, organizers say the temporary infrastructure helps neighborhoods overcome economic hardship by encouraging residents to walk and frequent local businesses. The City installed its first People Spot in the South Side Chatham neighborhood in 2018. That iteration measured about six feet wide by 20 feet long, but the platforms can be as long as 80 feet.
Louisville, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project made a series of placemaking improvements to the Woodlawn Avenue business district, located in the Beechmont neighborhood. First, the Center for Neighborhoods added pedestrian-level lighting along the street to improve safety. They also converted three parking spaces into an outdoor cafe space. Originally meant to be temporary, the picnic area's popularity spurred project organizers to create Louisville's first permanent parklet in the spot, which includes a deck, seating, a green wall and planter boxes. Beautification efforts also included activating a nearby alleyway. That included painting a mural for the space, which community members named Beechmont Alley. New, accessible parking spaces helped make the corridor more welcoming to people of all ability levels.
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Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: HomeFit Modifications
Description: This project will provide rug rippers and copies of the AARP HomeFit Guide to people with chronic medical conditions who participate in the All Food is Medicine meal distribution service. The organization will hold weekly sessions to review the guide.
Gary, IN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: To address the first mile/last mile problem -- describing challenges riders face bridging the distance between transit stops and community amenities -- this project launched the Cycle219 Bikeshare Program. The Legacy Foundation purchased electric bikes, added bike racks and installed signage to help cyclists navigate. To make the program affordable, organizers provided annual passes to older adults and low-income residents. Additionally, project organizers used tactical urbanism to test ideas for improving crosswalk safety in Gary's Miller neighborhood. They used stencils to paint sharrows and an artistic crosswalk onto the pavement, hoping to make cyclists and pedestrians more visible to drivers. In the future, organizers plan to expand the bikeshare into more communities.
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