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City of Hamtramck (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Public or private transit access
└ Public or private transit access
The City of Hamtramck wanted to create more equitable access to local public transit and pedestrian and bicycling routes. To allow older adults to access more transportation options, the City added benches along key transit, pedestrian and bicycling routes. To reach non-English speaking residents, they published informational brochures in Arabic, Bengali and English. Additionally, project organizers worked with the Detroit Institute of the Arts to install artwork near several benches. The project is part of larger plans for the Joe Louis Greenway, a 27-mile walking and biking trail that will extend from the Detroit riverfront to Hamtramck and other nearby communities.
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La Union, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Although La Union's community center campus offered plenty of outdoor space, the space sat largely unused. So La Union Helping Hands set out to activate the area. Volunteers installed a benches and a gazebo for shade onsite. They also added seating and shelter to the nearby bus stop. This allows visitors -- including older adults -- to wait comfortably for the bus. Organizers hope the enhancements foster a vibrant space where residents can connect with each other, instilling a sense of community. Spurred by the project's success, La Union Helping Hands now plans to revamp landscaping, plant a community garden, install even more seating, and improve sidewalks at the community center.
Perry, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: Older adults and some families in Perry faced major transportation barriers, limiting access to health care and jobs. HIRTA launched FlexConnect, a flexible bus route supported by ADA-compliant benches, signage and bilingual outreach. Free passes encouraged ridership, which has already grown by 10%. Surveys will track health impacts, and the service is expected to reduce isolation and promote independence. One community member said that this project will open up "a world of possibilities for people who live here."
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: In St. Louis, bus stops often lacked safety and accessibility, limiting mobility for older adults and residents without cars. To address this, Citizens for Modern Transit transformed a neglected stop in Soulard, where many residents are age 50-plus, into a welcoming space. The redesign added a shelter with solar lighting, benches with armrests, ADA-compliant walkways, landscaping and wayfinding. In addition, new sidewalks and ramps were added to improve access. The project boosted safety and visibility, fostered community ownership and set the stage for similar upgrades citywide. One resident said, "Adding community space where people can meet and talk comfortably will be so great."
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Detroit, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Lots in Detroit's Poletown neighborhood left older adults and neighbors without safe access to nature. The project installed an ADA-compliant boardwalk and gathering deck with seating. It was connected to accessible paths and created a focal point for the Circle Forest restoration. These improvements allow residents and care facility visitors to enjoy the outdoors and socialize. "Workers tell me how happy they are to get away and recharge during their shift," said a project lead, noting the space now draws neighbors daily.
Detroit, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To give older adults a space where they can interact with local children, Eden Gardens Block Club converted two vacant lots into an intergenerational playground. Ahead of the project, the Edens Garden surveyed residents about their preferences, with 80 percent of respondents asking for exercise equipment for older adults. Volunteers then worked to clear the site and install playground apparatuses, including swings, a see-saw bouncer and a cardio walker. Organizers say the space is now a source of community pride for the community.
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