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St. Paul, MN
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Reconnect Communities
Description: This project will create a virtual reality production depicting life in the Rondo neighborhood before, during and after a 1960s Interstate highway project split the community in two. Organizers will ask older residents to contribute their stories.
New Haven, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Reconnect Communities
Description: The Mill River Underpass Park Project will reconnect three neighborhoods divided by I-91 by creating an intergenerational, multi-use space. It will prioritize nature, accessibility, and communal areas, helping older residents safely cross between neighborhoods and rebuild social connections.
Atlanta, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Reconnect Communities
Description: When Interstate 20 opened, the new highway displaced residents in Atlanta's Westview neighborhood. In the decades since, the area experienced disinvestment, with pedestrian infrastructure lagging behind other areas of the city. This sparked a legacy of advocacy, as residents formed neighborhood association to advocate for better sidewalks. To document the neighborhood's story, the Ke'nekt Cooperative launched an oral history project. Community outreach sessions focused on the historical impact of highway construction, as well as genealogy workshops. Participants said these event empowered them to engage in local advocacy to address ongoing impacts. Additionally, neighbors built intergenerational connections, with older adults sharing experiences and younger residents introducing modern research methods. Organizers say the project laid the groundwork for future efforts, including a local archive, which they hope will be a catalyst for ongoing community engagement.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Chelsea, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: With the addition of public art, a block of Division Street became a welcoming, safe passageway through downtown Chelsea for pedestrians and cyclists. Community members created 25 pieces of art to adorn the street. Artists painted three full-scale murals, including one created alongside students from a local school, as well as several mini murals. Local older adults also installed art panels. To improve mobility, the City added new sidewalks and repaved the roadway. This project spurred local artists and creatives to form a network and increased support for public art among local property owners. Project organizers say its success represents an important first step to link the heart of downtown with Chelsea's waterfront.
Chelsea, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Inclusive public space improvements
Description: La Plazita, an indoor/outdoor activity space, will provide Latinx residents aged 50 with a place to gather, connect, celebrate and create community. The space is inspired by plazas, mercados and outdoor spaces in Latin America.
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