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Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Park enhancements
└ Park enhancements
The 35,000 inhabitants of Los Angeles' Westlake/MacArthur Park community live within a 10-minute walk of Golden Age Park, and a third of those residents live in poverty. Working with city agencies and local senior centers, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust wanted to beautify the small park and provide a space for gardening and gathering. New picnic tables, a barbecue pit, tool shed and plantings transformed the park into an inviting center for recreation. Since the improvements, the City has footed the bill for continued maintenance. A mural to enliven the site is now in the works.
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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.
Central Falls, RI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: To allow for more community events in Veterans Memorial Park, the City of Central Falls purchased two canopies to shade visitors from the sun. The City then set up the all-weather canopies at a series of events held in the park, including a picnic, Zumba gatherings and ice cream socials. Project organizers say the canopies will allow them to expand outdoor programming aimed at older adult residents.
Lorain, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: This project made improvements to Falbo Park, including adding a 20- by 20-foot shade awning, a large glider swing and an additional shade structure featuring a trellis for vines to climb. The City of Lorain designed these enhancements to make Falbo Park a space for intergenerational physical activity, play and community-building. The park hosted activities and provided solace to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project sparked other tangible changes to Falbo Park. In 2021, the City added a butterfly garden to attract pollinators. They also installed accessible bench-style swings in other parts of town, including at the local outdoor concert venue.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Los Angeles, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public or private transit access
Description: A storytelling campaign and community teach-in will highlight unsafe sidewalks and needed repairs downtown. Shared experiences and training will help older adults advocate for safer streets.
Compton, CA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Residents of Compton lack access to greenspace compared to their neighbors in other parts of Los Angeles County. Over several years, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps has worked to create the Compton Creek Natural Park, giving neighbors of all ages a place to gather outdoors. As part of those efforts, the nonprofit hosted a community tree planting event. After receiving training on the importance of native tree species and their care, volunteers worked to removed old trees on the site and replace them with new, drought-tolerant species. Additionally, they planted native vegetation. Organizers say the new park will improve residents' mental and physical health, give them a place to socialize and foster environmental stewardship.
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