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City of New Haven Department of Elderly Services (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
This project will create welcoming, accessible outdoor spaces by installing benches at three senior centers and nearby parks.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Chelsea, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: La Plazita, an indoor/outdoor activity space, will provide Latinx residents aged 50 with a place to gather, connect, celebrate and create community. The space is inspired by plazas, mercados and outdoor spaces in Latin America.
Roundup, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The large public space in the Roundup's downtown lacked accessible seating. As part of its historic preservation and economic development work, Roundup Community Partners added picnic tables and benches to the plaza. The new seating is designed to be accessible for visitors of all ages and abilities. The plaza sits on the town's Main Street and project organizers hope the seating helps incentivize residents and visitors to shop and eat downtown. "Thanks to our local leaders and AARP, Roundup's Welcome Plaza is a dynamic hub for the community that increases local commerce, strengthens local pride, and broadens awareness of Roundup's history," Roundup Mayor Sandra Jones said of the project.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project was part of multi-year efforts to activate transit stations throughout the St. Louis region. Citizens for Modern Transit installed accessible seating, a UV-protective shade and a mural examining local history at the North Hanley Transit Center. Organizers hope the improvements spark economic development by creating a community gathering space and encouraging people to use public transit.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
New Haven, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Reconnect Communities
Description: Decades after a highway cut through New Haven neighborhoods, residents still faced barriers created by the interstate, with older adults especially affected by unsafe crossings and limited access to public space and the river. The Arts Council of Greater New Haven led a community-driven effort to reimagine the space beneath the highway as a shared park that could reconnect divided areas. The project engaged hundreds of residents through pop-up sessions, focus groups and intergenerational design activities, translating their input into Phase I design renderings for an accessible, multi-use public space. The renderings reflect long-standing community priorities, including safer walking routes, access to nature and places to gather across generations. The work produced a clear, shared vision that now guides continued engagement and future planning, advancing a broader effort to repair the lasting impacts of past infrastructure decisions.
Stratford, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Trails
Description: To increase walkability, this project updated and digitized maps of 12 walking routes and installed four benches along the routes. The town hosted a kickoff event to encourage people of all ages to walk more often.
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