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Batavia, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: Local officials and community organizations hoped to increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic in downtown Batavia. To do this, the Batavia Environmental Commission, Batavia Bicycle Commission, the WellBatavia Initiative and Batavia Maitreet undertook a research and promotional campaign. They hosted a walk and bike audit that taught residents urban biking skills, such as how to load a bike onto a public bus. The initiative then paired participants with residents of a local retirement community, as well as with families with small children, to help them learn about biking. The group produced a 15-minute video documentary presenting the town's history, showcasing its pedestrian and bike infrastructure and highlighting the need for future improvements. In 2022, Batavia announced it would create a bicycle and walking plan to improve city trails and make intersections safer.
Jackson, WY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: To make its car-oriented downtown more pedestrian-friendly, the Town of Jackson held a design workshop to test ideas for improvements to the town square. Held at a local senior center, the workshop allowed town staff to show older residents photos of downtown and get their feedback. The Town then incorporated suggestions from the workshop at a Park(ing) Day event. They converted a parking space into a parklet with outdoor furniture, planters and bike racks. In addition, they offered trishaw rides around the square during the event and for a few weeks afterwards. Town staff interviewed older adults at the event, asking about ways to make downtown more walkable. Organizers then reported what they heard to the town council to inform future improvements. Project organizers say the workshop and Park(ing) Day event built relationships with older adults, which will help keep them involved in the community design process going forward.
Jackson, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety
Description: This project will enhance mobility, digital literacy, and public spaces for older adults. The initiative includes accessible transportation solutions, technology training, and park improvements.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: The El Paseo Community Garden in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood added a new gathering space, dubbed El Convivio or The Gathering. The goal of the project was to make the garden more accessible to Latino older adults living in nearby apartment buildings. Improvements to the space include an outdoor kitchen and patio with a fire pit, ADA-compliant seating, walking paths and an accessible planting station. Planters at the site were specifically designed to grow culturally relevant produce, including tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions. The picnic area's stucco and ceramic tiles mimic designs seen in Mexican haciendas. Garden leaders partnered with nonprofit architectural firm Human Scale to involve garden members in the space's design and volunteers from the neighborhood installed the new amenities. As El Paseo's leadership finalized El Convivio, they also worked with the City of Chicago to secured additional land to expand the garden.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: As part of efforts to provide affordable housing in Chicago, Elevate Energy set out to help an older adult homeowner renovate her two-unit building. The owner would be able to safely age in place in one unit, while renting the other unit out to a family in need of affordable housing. The improvements focus on accessibility upgrades and addressing deferred maintenance -- making the building less costly to keep up in the future. Project organizers rewired the entire building and replaced the roof -- improvements that helped project organizers attract funding from other sources to complete the renovation. They hope to use this project as a case study to demonstrate the potential for two-flats to enable aging at place and provide below-market rental housing.
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