Thibodaux, LA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Trails

Description: Limited seating and bike storage made new outdoor spaces less inviting for older adults and cyclists. To address this, the city added bike racks, benches, picnic tables and trash receptacles at the downtown boardwalk pavilion, creating a welcoming spot for rest and recreation. These improvements complement a larger trail project and promote active living for older adults. The pavilion now hosts community events and serves as a model for future accessibility upgrades across the city.

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.

Dryden, NY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Trails

Description: To encourage people to use the Dryden Rail Trail, the Town of Dryden set out to provide resting places and information along the trail. They installed seven benches and three kiosks along the 2.9-mile path, which connects the villages of Dryden and Freeville. The kiosks display maps, trail rules and more. Today, the Town Recreation Department offers intergenerational programming on the trail, including fitness walks, bike outings and community running events.