Dyersville Economic Development Corperation (2019) Print

star-24px 2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee

Project Category

Community Resilience
└ Public space improvements to support recovery after extreme weather events
As part of an efforts to recover from a flood, this project created a community plaza and amphitheater in Dyersville. The green space links to a walking and biking trail, which is connected to the city's downtown riverwalk. To make the new plaza accessible, project organizers added diagonal parking, made accessibility upgrades to crosswalks, created new sidewalks and built a stage and canopy onsite. Today the site hosts a market, concerts and movie nights. It is also a venue for Beyond the Game events -- a gathering marking Dyersville's baseball history as the site of the Field of Dreams.

See More Projects Like This One

City of Gulfport (2019)

Gulfport, MS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public space improvements to support recovery after extreme weather events

Description: As part of revitalization efforts following flooding from Hurricane Katrina, the City of Gulfport set out to give cyclists and pedestrians a place to shelter from the weather and sun. They installed a 20-square-foot safe-weather pavilion and benches along a new bike trail in Brickyard Bayou Park. The trail connects park visitors to amenities, including an outdoor classroom, dog park and community garden. Organizers report the pavilion project has since inspired other similar structures and trails in Gulfport.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Holy Cross Hometown Pride Committee (2025)

Holy Cross, IA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project will renovate the tennis court and add two pickleball courts with ADA access and portable benches. This will improve health and provide diverse recreational amenities for residents, especially those age 50 and over.

American Legion John White Post 650 (2023)

Epworth, IA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Tower Park lacked a dedicated space to honor veterans and connect residents, and steep terrain limited access for older adults. The Legion installed a six-foot granite monument, two flagpoles and landscaping. It was unveiled during a Memorial Day ceremony that drew many community members. The project improved accessibility with terraced seating and ADA-compliant paths and inspired plans for benches and a statue. The Mayor called the effort "a collaboration of many groups and a perfect example of serving and using our gifts to honor the memory of those who fought for us and our freedom."

ABOUT THE AARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Launched in 2017, the annual AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to local governments and nonprofits in order to fund quick-action, ready-to-implement projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages.

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