Rapid City, SD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To increase awareness of the local book club and other community activities, NeighborWorks designed and installed 30 flags in the North Rapid neighborhood. A local artists created designs for the flags and residents worked together to approve wording for each one. Volunteers then installed flags on utility poles throughout the neighborhood. Project organizers say that since the flags appeared, local groups have received inquiries about how to become more involved in local activities.

Tallahassee, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The Goodwood Museum and Gardens revitalized a historic roller rink, transforming it into a gathering space for outdoor activities. The rink -- originally built in 1916 -- sat vacant for years, but the Museum saw potential for the 10,000-square-foot site. Accessibility was a main goal for project organizers, so the Museum installed an ADA-compliant sidewalk, ramp and handrails. They also added lighting to increase safety at the site, levelled the rink's concrete surface, added landscaping and upgraded electrical wiring. These enhancements attracted community partners to the space, including the Irish Repertory Theater and the Southern Shakespeare Company. Today the site hosts a monthly live performance featuring local musicians, along with other community activities.

Lawrence, TN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Downtown Lawrenceburg wanted to create inviting low-impact activities that encouraged older adults to walk, socialize and stay engaged. Tee'd Up Downtown, a portable mini golf course, turned the square into a playful walking experience with custom holes, accessible putters and wayfinding signs guiding participants through more than a mile of downtown. Older adults lingered, visited shops and moved at their own pace. A grandfather said the course let him and his grandson "take their time... and play in a way that worked for both of them." The project boosted foot traffic and sparked broader discussions about improving pedestrian-focused public space design.