See More Projects Like This One

Opelousas, LA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: The City of Opelousas had no accessible seating outdoor seating in its downtown. So City officials set out to create comfortable, wheelchair-accessible gathering places, creating a more welcoming Main Street for older adults with mobility challenges. They installed ADA-compliant rest areas with benches and picnic tables at several downtown locations, including the farmers market, the local courthouse and the public library.

Knik-Fairview, AK

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: Settler's Bay Park in Mat-Sui Valley is a sanctuary for residents and tourists seeking to view migratory birds and spawning salmon. To make the park ADA-compliant, the Anchorage Great Land Trust installed an accessible scenic overlook platform with seating. The platform enables park visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy majestic views of Cook Inlet from the area's only coastal park.

Hallowell, ME

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: An ADA-accessible ramp now spans the steep bank separating Granite City Park's parking lot from Hallowell's popular waterfront boardwalk and boat ramp. Vision Hallowell and the Hallowell All Age-Friendly Committee designed the 24-foot aluminum ramp to be installed seasonally, for use in the spring, summer and fall months. It joins several municipal ramps and docks that give residents access to the Kennebec River. While Hallowell has no town square, the waterfront fills this role. Thanks to the new ramp, older adults, those with mobility challenges and parents pushing baby strollers are now able to access the city's waterfront bulkhead, a center of activity featuring dozens of colorful Adirondack chairs.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Haigler, NE

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: This project revitalized an abandoned set of basketball and tennis courts, with one of the latter turned into a pickleball court. It also installed ADA-compliant benches and repaired light poles.

Imperial, NE

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: A vacant lot in the heart of Imperial's downtown had been an eyesore for decades. To put the space to better use, the City of Imperial activated the space, creating a new pocket park. Volunteers helped create several murals onsite and installed a mosaic dragon sculpture, designed to double as a play structure for children. Using upcycled existing picnic tables and railroad ties, they also created a circular seating area, dubbed the chatroom. Local elementary school students and residents of an assisted living facility teamed up to paint tiles to decorate outdoor sectional couch. And volunteers laid down artificial turf -- a material chosen to make the mini-park easy to maintain. Raised flower beds completed the space. Since the mini-park's completion, organizers say community members continue to brainstorm ways to improve the pocket park, which they say has revitalized Imperial's arts scene.

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