AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Maplewood Memorial Park Conservancy (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Trails
└ Trails
Park visitors, including many older adults, once had to walk on grass or a busy road to reach playgrounds and ballfields, creating safety concerns. The project installed a 560-foot asphalt path to complete the park's interior loop, restored a historic entryway and planted dawn redwoods for future shade. Volunteers added shrubs and perennials during a community planting day, strengthening community pride. The path quickly became a well-used asset, giving older adults safer access and space for exercise. One frequent parkgoer said, "It looks like it's always been there, because it should have been!"
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Frederiksted, VI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Trails
Description: After hurricanes destroyed the Estate Adventure Nature Trail, St. Croix residents lacked safe walking spaces on an island with few sidewalks. The Trail Alliance rebuilt the pavilion with durable materials, cleared invasive vegetation and created a two-mile shaded trail with benches, picnic tables and historical signage. A new parking area improves access, and the site now hosts hikes and community events. At the opening, attendees shouted "YES!" when asked if they wanted more projects like this, signaling strong demand for safe, green spaces.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Jackson, MS
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Trails
Description: Extreme heat and limited amenities on Jackson's Museum Trail made outdoor exercise risky for older adults, especially in neighborhoods lacking recreational spaces. To address this, the foundation installed two shaded resting areas with benches, bike racks and trash receptacles. These were placed near a gateway sign and native garden, creating inviting spots for trail users. These additions encourage more frequent use and provide safe places to pause during long walks. "The new benches were much needed... now I can sit and watch people and wildlife," said one resident, underscoring the project's role in fostering independence and community connection.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Detroit, MI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Trails
Description: Unkept and unsafe streets left East Canfield Village residents, especially older adults, with few options for exercise or social connection. Canfield Consortium cleared vacant lots, planted trees, installed benches and added wayfinding signage. This created a pilot trail that links homes to parks and stores. The improvements boosted safety and encouraged outdoor activity. As one resident said, "The path gives us seniors a safe and beautiful way to stay active, connect with our neighbors and enjoy the outdoors."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
South Orange, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Bikeability
Description: The Conservancy addressed safety concerns on a street that many older adults use to reach the park and community center. Mead Street also cuts through a natural corridor where turtles cross between water sources, a reminder that poor visibility and fast traffic created risks for people on foot and on bikes alike. The project installed brightly colored, artistic crosswalks featuring turtles, applied durable green paint to bike lanes and added flexible delineators that shorten crossing distances and protect cyclists. Corrider users already report easier, more confident access to park amenities and programming. The demonstration features are now being evaluated for permanent use and are informing broader street safety planning, giving the village a tested model for improving walkability and bike safety in future projects.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Newark, NJ
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: To tackle food insecurity and urban blight, Unstoppable Girls Foundation improved two community gardens and launched an intergenerational program pairing older adults with youth. They shared gardening skills while more than 30 youngsters learned to plant, prune and embrace healthy eating. The effort fostered teamwork and pride, with nearly all participants reporting better physical and mental well-being. One volunteer reflected, "Gardening is one of the most rewarding activities for youngsters and senior citizens."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP New Jersey State Office
303 George Street
Suite 505
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
United States