Oxford, AL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Oxford's historic downtown is home to restaurants, shops, art galleries, historic churches and a first-class performing arts center. Its brick-paved sidewalks are great for strolling, but the area lacked seating options. To address this, Historic Main Street Oxford installed metal benches, as well as two bike racks. This enables Main Street visitors to grab an ice cream cone with a friend and rest comfortably in the shade. The new amenities came during a downtown streetscaping project, which included installing accessible sidewalks, new lighting and improved landscaping.

Sleepy Eye, MN

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The project addressed limited walkable access in a historic district where older adults struggled to reach nearby cultural sites safely. The city upgraded the Chief Monument area with new sidewalks, benches, lighting, trash receptacles and landscaping, supported by volunteers age 60 or over who helped paint fencing and place amenities. These changes improved comfort and mobility and strengthened connections between the monument, museum and nearby parks. Residents said the upgrades made the block look better and easier to navigate. The improvements also support larger revitalization plans, including a future mural that will continue to draw people to the area.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.

Camden, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Camden's Main Street program transformed the city's Broad Street alley into a vibrant throughway for shoppers and diners. To involve community members in the makeover, the City invited residents to the space to create stained glass-like globes out of tissue paper. By hanging the completed art pieces and adding LED string lights and shade canopies, the City created a decorative, open ceiling to the alley. They later added benches and planters to create an outdoor gathering space. "It's wonderful to see the residents who created pieces strolling through the alley and pointing out to friends and family where their piece is located," Camden Main Street Program Manager Katherine Spadacenta said.