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2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Trails
└ Trails
The Whiskeag Trail needed upgrades to serve older adults and reduce barriers for low-income residents. Volunteers widened two miles of trail, installed six ADA-compliant benches and built eight ramped boardwalk bridges. These improvements increased accessibility and sparked plans for universal design upgrades on other sections. One organizer noted that after a conversation with a local older adult, the volunteers added an additional bench to further improve trail walkability.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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See More Projects Like This One
Cascade, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Trails
Description: A half-mile section of Cascade's popular Strand Trail was muddy, icy or snowy much of the year. To make it accessible year-round, the City of Cascade leveled and paved the trail's surface. Project organizers also added three new benches and wayfinding signage. The improved trail segment connects two branches of the Strand Trail, which meanders for two miles along the Payette River and offers visitors stunning views of nearby mountains and bird watching and fishing opportunities. Additionally, it extends access to a visitor's center and to Kelly's Whitewater Park, a nonprofit facility serving whitewater rafters, kayakers and paddle boarders. The City is planning to pave another trail section in the future.
Blue Hill, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Trails
Description: This project set out to create age-friendly trails in Blue Hill. Efforts included constructing an accessible walking path and installing benches along it to give older adults and people with mobility challenges a place to rest. Part of the town's larger Connectivity Plan, organizers hoped the trails would encourage intergenerational activities and give residents opportunities for physical activity. The route runs through Blue Hill's downtown, allowing people to walk to local amenities and shops.
Cascade, ID
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Trails
Description: Older residents wanted more places to rest along the Strand Trail, a two-mile route central to Cascade's age-friendly plan. Without benches, many avoided longer walks, limiting exercise and social connection. The city installed five durable benches on recycled asphalt bases, creating safe, year-round resting spots. Volunteers helped with installation and outreach to promote use. The benches encourage older adults to walk farther and enjoy birdwatching and conversations along the river corridor. One regular user said the benches mean she can walk farther because "there are now places to rest along the way."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Bath, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: Bath faced rising housing costs and limited options for older adults, especially those with fixed incomes. The coalition partnered with the city and housing agencies to launch a public education campaign on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), creating a toolkit, videos, social media content and presentations. More than 200 residents attended sessions explaining ADU benefits, design and approval processes. The campaign sparked interest in building ADUs, with one participant noting it offered "a way to build a smaller accessible unit for myself and rent my primary home," expanding housing choices for residents.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Sagadahoc, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Disaster Preparedness
Description: Older adults across several communities expressed fear and uncertainty about emergencies, with many lacking preparedness plans or clear information about local resources. Age-Friendly Communities of the Lower Kennebec hosted six listening sessions where participants shared experiences and concerns about disasters. The conversations emphasized communication, evacuation routes and the importance of checking on neighbors. These led to increased signups for the county emergency notification system. By partnering with county emergency management and centering older adults voices, the project energized communities to begin developing local response plans and laid the groundwork for coordinated preparedness efforts.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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