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Jackson Heart Foundation (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Trails
└ Trails
The City of Jackson is working to develop the Museum Trail -- a four-mile, multi-use path designed to improve community health and wellness, connect areas of interest within the community and promote active transportation. Building on this work, the Jackson Heart Foundation improved wayfinding along the corridor by installed railhead and mile markers. Organizers say the signage helps visitors understand where the trail begins and ends and provides them with information about ongoing work to improve the path. Volunteers also created a mural at the trail's entrance. And to promote the trail, project organizers launched a new website and offered branded tote bags for donors.
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See More Projects Like This One
Bedford, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Trails
Description: The Town of Bedford installed benches, bike racks, signage and trash cans along walking and bike routes, including a path known locally as the Loop, as well as two newer paths. The Town created a map to display in kiosks, which show three different options for walking the paths. Public art was a focus of this project -- the benches and racks were designed by local artists and a local metal fabrication company built them. To include residents in the planning process, the Town held a Design the Sign workshop, where attendees suggested their ideas for sign graphics. An artist then incorporated those suggestions in the final design. Project organizers say improvements to the Loop have brought awareness for the Town's efforts to revitalize the Bridge Street area.
Frederiksted, VI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Trails
Description: After hurricanes destroyed the Estate Adventure Nature Trail, St. Croix residents lacked safe walking spaces on an island with few sidewalks. The Trail Alliance rebuilt the pavilion with durable materials, cleared invasive vegetation and created a two-mile shaded trail with benches, picnic tables and historical signage. A new parking area improves access, and the site now hosts hikes and community events. At the opening, attendees shouted "YES!" when asked if they wanted more projects like this, signaling strong demand for safe, green spaces.
Manchester, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Trails
Description: The local chapter of the Nature Conservancy hoped to make the Manchester Cedar Swamp -- a popular nature preserve within Manchester's city limits -- more accessible to visitors of all ages and abilities. To do this, the group built the 1.2-mile All Persons Trail, which they designed to be level and unsloping. The trail is wide enough to accommodate two wheelchairs or two people with guide dogs. To help people with low vision navigate, project organizers created an audio tour app in English and Spanish. The Conservancy also installed benches and interpretive signs along the path.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Jackson, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Trails
Description: Jackson's Museum Trail lacked inviting spaces for rest and social connection. The foundation added plazas with benches, bike racks, pet stations, trash cans and murals under the Fortification Street bridge. This helped create vibrant stops along the trail. These upgrades made the trail more welcoming for older adults and families and helped secure approval for future phases. One resident said that he was so excited about the transformation along the newly accessible trail, and expressed how much he now enjoys walking along it with his family.
Jackson, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Trails
Description: Extreme heat and limited amenities on Jackson's Museum Trail made outdoor exercise risky for older adults, especially in neighborhoods lacking recreational spaces. To address this, the foundation installed two shaded resting areas with benches, bike racks and trash receptacles. These were placed near a gateway sign and native garden, creating inviting spots for trail users. These additions encourage more frequent use and provide safe places to pause during long walks. "The new benches were much needed... now I can sit and watch people and wildlife," said one resident, underscoring the project's role in fostering independence and community connection.
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