AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
City of Walcott (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
Walcott's tennis courts had deteriorated since 1998, leaving few options for older adults to stay active in a town without fitness facilities. To address this, the city resurfaced one court and converted the other into two pickleball courts with fortified acrylic surfaces near a park and splash pad. The upgrades sparked interest in adult pickleball leagues and youth programs, creating a hub for social engagement and wellness. Residents say the new courts encourage active living and help older adults remain connected to the community.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Cutler Bay, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: To encourage residents to exercise and socialize with one another, the Town of Cutler Bay added accessible exercise equipment - with a shade canopy to keep visitors cool -- to Cutler Ridge Park. Although Hurricane Irma damaged the park during installation, the new equipment now gives older adults the opportunity to improve their balance, strength, flexibility, range of motion and coordination. Project organizers say many older adults visit the park with their children and using the new fitness machines, which resemble playground equipment, can feel more like playing than exercising. Since the project's completion. the Town has installed similar fitness equipment at two other local parks.
Bozeman, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Gallatin Valley Land Trust addressed barriers that limited outdoor access for older adults and people with mobility challenges. Poorly maintained trails and a narrow bridge reduced safe use with adaptive devices. The project built a widened gravel trail and replaced the bridge with an accessible crossing. Planning advanced for accessible parking and clear trail signage through partnerships with local health and disability groups. The improvements expanded who can safely use the trails and support long-term inclusive outdoor access.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Frederick, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Falls are a leading cause of injury for older adults, yet Monocacy Village Park offered few ways to build balance and confidence. The city installed Kompan's Surface Challenge in the new SeniorScapes park, giving residents a safe space to practice walking on varied surfaces and improve stability. Older adults tested the equipment during a trial and learned about its benefits at a resource fair attended by hundreds. The permanent installation will anchor the park's grand opening and inspire similar projects, promoting mobility and social engagement for years to come.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Wilton, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The library's garden lacked features that encouraged lingering and accessibility for older adults. Volunteers age 50-plus helped redesign the space, adding shade, comfortable seating and sensory elements to make it more inviting. These upgrades boosted traffic and interest in garden programs, and plans now include creating zones like pollinator and sensory areas with detailed signage. The garden has become a focal point for community events and ongoing programming, fostering engagement among older adults and other residents.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Bettendorf, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Quad City Area REALTORS addressed a local gap in understanding how accessory dwelling units could function as realistic housing options, especially for adults age 50 or over seeking flexible living arrangements. Misconceptions about scale and design had limited informed discussion, even as housing pressures grew. The group responded by hosting an ADU design competition that invited students and architects to create practical concepts tailored to later-life needs. By publicly displaying the entries, the project gave residents and local leaders clear, visual examples of what ADUs could look like and how they might be used. The competition broadened community awareness and sparked informed conversations about housing choice and design. It also positioned the grantee as a continuing resource for ADU plans and education as discussions with councils and administrators move forward.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Iowa State Office
600 E. Court Avenue
Suite 100
Des Moines, IA 50309
United States