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Friends of Constitution Park Ossipee (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
The park lacked shade and shelter, leaving older adults and families exposed to sun and rain. Volunteers built a 12-by-16-foot pavilion and added an ADA-compliant picnic table and benches, contributing more than 500 hours to the effort. The pavilion now serves as a safe, year-round gathering spot for meetings and celebrations. One resident stated that now "we see people using the park almost every hour of the day. "
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Readfield, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Readfield's Age-Friendly Committee set out to enhance the town's public spaces and draw the community together. They purchased outdoor furniture to activate two spaces -- one outside the local public library and the other at Readfield Beach on Maranacook Lake. The beach's moveable Adirondack chairs give visitors a change to interact with each other. Additionally, the tables and chairs at the library allow residents to access free Wi-Fi service, even when the library building is closed. Library visitors of all wages can also rest there after enjoying the nearby story walk.
Belchertown, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A revitalized walkway near the Senior Center lacked seating, discouraging older adults and those with cognitive impairments from taking longer walks. To address this, six sturdy benches were installed along Carriage Drive, secured on concrete slabs and surrounded by grass. Outreach included a ribbon-cutting event that drew residents age 50-plus. The benches now offer safe resting spots, encouraging more time outdoors and improving well-being. Plans for additional benches are underway. One participant said she was proud to live in a town that invests in projects showing care for older adults.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Ossipee, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Emergency preparedness skills
Description: Frequent severe storms left older adults in remote homes vulnerable during evacuations or prolonged isolation. To boost preparedness, the group distributed 215 rolling backpacks stocked with essentials like weather radios, flashlights and water purification tablets at town events. It also provided checklists and registry sign-ups for residents with special needs. Participants said the effort made them feel empowered to plan ahead, and requests for similar programs have come from other communities as organizers work to expand the initiative.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
North Conway, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Lifelong housing and accessibility
Description: To help homeowners with extra space in their homes find potential tenants, the Gibson Center created a website. The site features information about homesharing, as well as the option for people looking for rooms to rent to match with those with space to share. Modeled after successful homesharing initiatives in other states, the new homesharing service provides reference screenings and background checks, as well as a guide through New Hampshire's landlord-tenant laws.
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