Wheatland, WY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: As fewer and fewer residents took up the game, the horseshoe pits in Lewis Park went largely unused. The Town of Wheatland hoped to turn the pits into a more useful space fitting residents' modern tastes. So the Town converted them into pickleball courts. The Town staff worked with volunteers to clear and resurface the space, then install nets, posts, and fencing. To raise money for further improvements -- including seating for spectators -- the Town hosted a fundraising charity onsite. Project organizers say the new courts give people of all ages an option for outdoor exercise. Pickleball is popular with older adults since the fast-paced game is low impact and easy on joints.

Greenville, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Engaging people in transportation options/safety

Description: This project set out to create a space where drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can learn street safety practices. To do this, organizers installed the Greenville Traffic Garden. Volunteers painted markings on the pavement to make a simulated roadway. Visitors to the garden -- including children and older adults -- can practice yielding to traffic, riding alongside traffic and walking safety along the roadway. Organizers hope the space helps encourage people of all ages to walk and bike.

Eufaula, OK

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The City of Eufaula hoped to draw people to local businesses by increasing foot traffic on Main Street. To do this, the City created a music trail downtown. They installed 11 pairs of outdoor percussion instruments -- including xylophones and drums -- along a half-mile pathway, which winds past community landmarks. Additionally, project organizers displayed a map to inform passersby of the location of each instrument. The project is part of larger efforts to recover after the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased social isolation among residents and left local businesses -- including many owned by Native community members -- struggling to stay afloat.