AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Hui o Hauula (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
An abandoned five-acre lot had a high number of invasive plants and illegal dumping, leaving residents without a safe outdoor space. Hui o Hauula rallied more than 100 volunteers to clear the land, build a walking trail and install ten ADA-compliant benches. Older adults and youth collaborated with a local artist to paint a 20-foot mural celebrating resilience, unveiled during a cultural event with music and hula. Today, the site hosts daily walkers, children playing ball and a weekly farmers market, with plans for a resilience hub and health programs underway. "If you build it they will come... and they did," said one organizer.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Auburn, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Heritage Park lost its aging gazebo, leaving Auburn without a central space for gatherings. The city built a new ADA-compliant gazebo with benches, LED lighting and a chandelier, creating a versatile spot for celebrations. Volunteers, including many older adults, painted and stained the structure, reinforcing community pride. The gazebo now hosts birthdays, weddings and seasonal events like Christmas lighting, restoring a focal point for social life. One resident said "This is a wonderful addition to the park and the entire town. Can't wait to see all the events that will happen." Plans for an ADA bathroom and a pickleball court show continued investment in age-friendly amenities.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
McComb, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: McComb prides itself on the public park on the village's east side, which encompasses four baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, a public pool, two reservoirs for boating, walking and fitness trails and a 36-hole disc golf course. The McComb Economic Development Organization installed drinking fountains and benches around the reservoir, plus a merry-go-round and several swings, including one designed specifically for wheelchair users. The park has remained an important community resource and serves as the location for events, such as the annual McComb Cookie Festival.
Independence, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Sunset Meadows Park lacked accessible play areas and seating, leaving older adults and families without safe spaces to gather. The city addressed this by installing nature play equipment, ADA swings, a hill slide and seating for small groups. It also added lighting and a safety surface for year-round use. Volunteers planted trees to add shade and improve water management. The upgrades created an active, age-friendly space that encourages outdoor activity and social connection while strengthening the city's park network. The Mayor said, "This park is a reminder of what we can accomplish together."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Hauula, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Digital Connectivity for Disasters
Description: Older adults in rural coastal communities faced high disaster risk and limited ways to communicate during emergencies. The project installed Starlink satellite systems and solar-powered generators at key sites, hosted emergency prep workshops and adapted CERT training for older adults. Participants received To Go Bags and learned to create emergency plans, while weekly tech classes boosted digital literacy. Participants said a hurricane video was "the most powerful...they learned so much," and many now share skills with family, helping them feel safer and more connected during disasters.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Kailua, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Hearing and recording the stories of elders is an important part of Hawaiian culture. Students and staff from the Kailua Intermediate School honored this heritage by painting a large mural facing Kailua District Park. The project launched with a Huaka'i (field experience), during which people of all ages visited historically significant sites in the community. Learning about local cultural practices and values, students heard mo'olelo (stories) from kupuna (elders) They then shared the stories with their peers, who joined in to design and paint the mural.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Hawaii State Office
1132 Bishop Street
Suite 1920
Honolulu, HI 96813
United States