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Grand Forks Public Library (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
As part of its mission to connect the community, the Grand Forks Public Library created an intergenerational music playground on its grounds. A group of older adult volunteers helped select all-weather musical instruments and installed them on a concrete slab. Since the installation, the project has brought adults and children together, demonstrating the value of activating underused public spaces. Additionally, the playground has strengthened the library's relationship with a nearby senior housing community. Project organizers say the musical instruments offer psychological and health benefits for older adults, such as reduced stress, improved mood and greater cognitive skills.
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Cuba City, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: For more than ten years, Cuba City's planning documents promised an intergenerational gathering space downtown. This project made good on that promise, converting a gravel parking lot into a gathering space. Organizers hoped the Presidential Plaza Project would increase walkability and draw traffic to Cuba City's Main Street business district. To activate the space, volunteers installed a bike rack, outdoor games and picnic tables with umbrellas for shade. A Wi-Fi hotspot provides free internet access for visitors. To beautify the area, residents painted a large mural on the pavement, which pays tribute to frontline workers' contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A later addition to the mural depicts the Mississippi river and includes an area for visitors to play hopscotch.
Hot Springs, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project activated a space along Malvern Avenue, allowing visitors to enjoy a new mural paying tribute to cultural history. To showcase the mural, the City added a new sidewalk, greenery, iron sculptures and a music-themed bench nearby. The work was among the first reinvestments in an area that was known from the 1930s to 1960s as Black Broadway -- home to entertainment venues which hosted performances by legendary musicians, including Count Basie, Duke Ellington and B.B. King. Since its completion, the space -- which the City named Henry Glover Place -- has helped spark further revitalization. The City undertook four other neighborhood improvement projects nearby, including upgrades to a parking lot, new landscaping and building restorations. The City plans to make additional streetscape improvements in the future.
Ronceverte, WV
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To give residents an outdoor space to gather, this project set out to create a pocket park in downtown Ronceverte. Organizers poured topsoil to level out the site and added benches and raised flower beds. A mural is also planned for the site.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Grand Forks, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: To increase the pedestrian experience in Grand Forks, this project tested improvements to crosswalks at a busy intersection. The City installed temporary curb extensions, designed to shorten the distance needed to cross the street and make pedestrians more visible to drivers. They also used paint to make the crosswalks more noticeable. Additionally, local high school students helped install a sidewalk mural nearby, along with flowerpots and benches. The pop-up demonstration was in place for one month, giving residents time to give their feedback. Since the project, the City Council approved plans for permanent curb extension at the intersection. Organizers hope data gathered will also inspire other streetscape improvements to make the community more walkable.
Grand Forks, ND
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Micromobility enhancements/management
Description: This project will enable the Grand Rides Bike Share program to provide e-bikes and adaptive bikes to encourage ridership among people aged 50.
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