Tucson, AZ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: City officials set out to revitalize the underused Francisco Elias Esquer Park, located around the corner from a large public housing community for older adults in Tucson's Barrio Blue Moon neighborhood. To address the needs of locals with disabilities, volunteers installed a wheelchair accessible walking path, benches and a dog comfort station for service animals. They also added passive water harvesting basins to draw birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife. At a planting party for community members -- one of several events to publicize the new amenities -- neighbors spent a day digging in the dirt and enjoying a renewed sense of community.

Lexington, KY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: To give residents a comfortable space to hold a conversation, the Lexington Senior Center installed new accessible benches and raised planters in Idle Hour Park. Guided by a physical therapy student's research, which showed many people are uncomfortable twisting to converse with someone seated beside them, the benches sit in a U shape. This placement allows people to choose whether to sit next to or across from one another. Each seating area also includes extra space for a wheelchair user to join in.

Bolton, CT

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: To help local older adults stay physically active, this project installed a new pickleball court behind Bolton's senior center. Volunteers also installed a bench onsite to give players and spectators a place to rest. Pickleball -- a fast-paced game combining elements of tennis and ping-pong -- is popular with older adults since is low-impact.