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Via Health, Fitness and Enrichment Center (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Organizers with Via Health, Fitness and Enrichment Center envisioned a community green space where Mobile residents of all ages can interact. This project added two gazebos to the space, providing visitors with shade. Project organizers also installed a bike rack and dog watering station onsite and volunteers constructed a raised garden bed for growing flowers, herbs and vegetables. Since the transformation, Midtown Meets has become a meetup spot for local walking and biking clubs, a space for college students to take study breaks and a place for older adults to socialize. In addition, a new volunteer group, called Midtown Neighbors, continues to meet to work in the community garden beds.
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Central Falls, RI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To transform a green space into an attraction for people of all ages, this project installed amenities such as seating and tables for dominoes and chess.
Richford, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
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Iola, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
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Mobile, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: This project renovated walkways around the museum's community garden to make them fully ADA-compliant.
Mobile, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Victory Teaching Farm in midtown Mobile is an urban teaching farm that aims to teach locals the benefits of growing their own food in a sustainable way. This project built a garden deck designed to be accessible for people with disabilities. The deck features a ramp for those who use wheelchairs, along with raised garden beds of various heights. Victory joined with AARP Alabama for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in December 2017, and a large group of adults with disabilities and special needs participated. Since then, Victory Teaching Garden continues to promote urban gardening for everyone with events. This included hosting a virtual What's Growing On advice session with AARP Alabama in March 2022.
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