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Main Street Blytheville (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Accessibility of amenities
└ Accessibility of amenities
A walk audit of Blytheville's downtown revealed many crosswalks didn't include curb cuts, making them difficult to navigate for people with disabilities. Because of this, people using wheelchairs or pushing strollers had to venture into the street to access a ramp. To address this, Main Street Blytheville poured concrete to create 20 curb ramps. Organizers say the ramps make downtown more walkable and inclusive for people of all ages and abilities. One local business owner said, "I didn't even realize how much we needed those until you did this project. I have seen new faces coming into my store and I believe it was because you made it easier for them to get around when they visit." MainStreet organizers report the project has since spurred the City to address other pedestrian infrastructure needs, including leveling uneven sidewalks.
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Owensboro, KY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: This project will create a greenspace in a new ten-house subdivision. This space will include sod, landscaping, outdoor seating, trash receptacles, signage, and a small playground.
Fairfield, CT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Decades of use left the Birds of Prey Compound without safe, accessible pathways, limiting older adults and visitors with mobility challenges from enjoying this popular nature experience. To address this, the organization installed a 160-foot elevated boardwalk with capped railings, a turnaround for wheelchairs and a drainage system for year-round safety. The renovation opened the door to new programs like a winter naturalist series and partnerships with local centers. By improving access, the project combats isolation and promotes health benefits of outdoor activity while deepening community engagement with wildlife education.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Coffeyville, KS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: The Coffeyville Area Community Foundation transformed a newly resurfaced sidewalk in the 9th Street neighborhood into an ADA-compliant fitness walk. As part of the Walk the Block Project, workers installed informational kiosks, new benches, distance markers at quarter mile intervals and new wheelchair ramps at crosswalks along the 2.5-mile route. The path winds through Coffeyville's revitalized historic downtown, connecting local sites, including the town's main plaza, the Midland Theater, the local community college and a community garden and orchard.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Blytheville, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: An ADA accessible outdoor classroom with gardens and activity areas will be created at the local Senior Citizens Center. The space will support learning, social interaction and low-impact outdoor use.
Osceola, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Osceola's Rosenwald Park has a popular playground and is located near the county's older adult residential and recreational facility but has always lacked a paved path and sufficient shade for visitors in the hotter months. To improve the park, the City of Osceola built an ADA-accessible walking track that encircles the playground and links it to the sidewalk at the Mississippi County Senior Center. Meanwhile, city planners also worked with a community donor to plant more than a dozen red oaks, which provide a lush, sustainable shade canopy. Organizers say the upgrades have made the park more user friendly for visitors of all ages and abilities.
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