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City of Lynn (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
While downtown Lynn offers shopping and dining, the city offers few recreational opportunities for older adults. To address this, the City of Lynn has made improvements to the downtown district to make the space more appealing to older residents. First, project organizers created a parklet near Lynn Commons, turning an on-street parking space into a mini-park with benches and shade trees. They also made roadway improvements, including adding curb cuts to make sidewalks safer and more accessible. Finally, they worked with a partner organization to hang 80 large-scale murals. Since the improvements, the City launched a series of walking tours featuring the murals, which are installed throughout the community.
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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.
LaBelle, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Downtown LaBelle was once a thriving destination, but in recent years many businesses have moved to different parts of town. Particularly challenging was an unusable tennis court, which sat vacant right in the heart of the downtown. To make the area more attractive to residents and visitors, the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation created a new, multigenerational space in the footprint of the tennis court. Project organizers removed the court's worn concrete and equipped the space with a roofed gazebo, placing seating and game tables underneath.
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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Lynn, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The PATIO Parklet program involved installing three modular, portable parklets in downtown Lynn. Parklets transform curbside parking spaces into vibrant community spaces. The ones in Lynn include tables and seating, greenery and public art. Since installing the parklets, Lynn has seen improved street safety, increased foot traffic, more social interactions among residents and new, culturally relevant programming downtown. The parklets have hosted musical performances, sidewalk sales and the Living Room Series -- facilitated bilingual conversations on important local topics. One installation of the Living Room Series gave residents the chance to meet with school committee and city council candidates. Project organizers say the parklet initiative also helped Beyond Walls to deepen its relationship with partner organizations, including Greater Lynn Senior Services and the Lynn Council on Aging.
Lynn, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: This project will conduct three walk audits to assess challenges that older adults face when accessing a shared-use trail. The organization will work with local stakeholders and city officials to advocate for improvements to increase accessibility and use.
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