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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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See More Projects Like This One
Westwood, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To provide a safe and enjoyable gathering space, the Borough of Westwood created a parklet. Meant to sit in the footprint of a parking space, the parklet was designed to give people of all ages, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds a place to sit and relax in Westwood's central business district.
Fayetteville, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project replaced a gazebo and pergola on the grounds of Hillcrest Towers, a high-rise for older adults and people with disabilities. It also added new seating, raised garden beds, solar lighting and an outdoor projector and screen.
Loiza, PR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project will create an accessible space at the Emiliano Figueroa Torres Community Center. It will feature ergonomic benches, game tables, raised garden beds, and solar-powered lighting.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
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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