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Orange County, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To promote safe, physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Curry Ford West created a pop-up park on a vacant lot. During a community event, two-hundred volunteers constructed a labyrinth onsite made of brightly painted recycled pallets. The park remained in place for a month. Project organizers say the park and labyrinth helped connect the community during a time when people were separated. They also report the pop-up project helped demonstrate to local government leaders the importance of community green space. In the future, Curry Ford West hopes to install more pop-up parks as part of its advocacy for more public spaces in Orlando.

Max, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To beautify its downtown, the City of Max added hanging flower baskets, benches and picnic tables, as well as raised garden beds. The undertaking was a community effort for the small town (Max only has 131 residents). A local community club picked out the flowers, with another group of older residents volunteering to plant them and keep them watered. Project organizers say they hope the brightened streetscape encourages residents to get out and stroll through downtown.

Snohomish, WA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To give families an intergenerational outdoor activity, Friends of the Snohomish Library installed a story trail. They set up weather-protected stations at several points along a path, each designed to display pages from a storybook. This allows grandparents and parents with children to walk the path and read together, moving from station to station to piece each part of the story. To give families a reason to return, a children's librarian changes the story displayed four times a year. Since installation, project organizers report other communities have replicated the project, creating their own story walks.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Raleigh, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Bike Audits

Description: This project will introduce annual bike audits in several Raleigh neighborhoods where many older adults live. The organization will recruit adults age 50 and older to help gather data, plan the audits and advocate for safer biking conditions.

Wake Forest, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Walk Audits

Description: This project will conduct five walk audits over five months. Older volunteers will assist and present findings to the Town. Results will be included in the Age-Friendly Action Plan.

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