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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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See More Projects Like This One
Pikeville, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The plaza welcoming visitors to Pikeville's Appalachian Center for the Arts was looking a little run down. To increase its curb appeal and encourage tourism, the City initiated a multi-phase effort to redesign the area to be an outdoor gathering space. They resurfaced the plaza with custom, decorative pavers, installed benches, improved landscaping and added a shade canopy. The plaza redesign made downtown Pikeville more walkable and added a safe, outdoor space for visitors to enjoy music and art -- something much needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since these improvements, the City has used the plaza for public events and improved nearby sidewalks and crosswalks.
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.
San Antonio, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The City of San Antonio's World Heritage Office made improvements to the World Heritage Trail, which connects five Spanish colonial missions. The trail is one of only 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the U.S. To make the trail a more inviting place for people of all ages to walk, run and bike, the City added an interactive art installation beneath a highway overpass, which depicts each mission's location along the San Antonio River. They also installed limestone benches along the trail. Project organizers say the upgrades are meant to help visitors view a series of murals painted as part of a public art initiative.
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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