Mesa County Libraries (2019) Print

star-24px 2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee

Project Category

Public places
└ Accessibility of amenities
Mesa County public library staff had repurposed a lot next to the central library building into a discovery garden for residents of all ages to enjoy. This project made accessibility upgrades to the downtown Grand Junction space. First, mulch covering the site made maneuvering difficult for people with mobility challenges. To make pathways in the garden ADA-compliant, volunteers replaced the mulch with decomposed granite. They also added benches adorned with nature scenes to beautify the garden and give visitors a place to sit. Each bench has a unique design theme: mineral, plant, animal and water. Project organizers say the improvements have made the garden more inviting and accessible for visitors.

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Cleburne County Chamber of Commerce and Farmers Market (2024)

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AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: This project will allow older residents and people with mobility challenges to easily access the farmers market by adding ADA-compliant sidewalks and parking spaces.

Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation (2023)

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AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: This project will make all-terrain wheelchairs, designed for outdoor exploration, available to park visitors who need mobility assistance.

Sun Sounds of Arizona (2024)

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AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: This initiative will upgrade six recording studios and one computer, which reading volunteers use to record information for people who cannot read print material due to a disability.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Grand Junction Parks and Recreation (2020)

Grand Junction, CO

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: Grand Junction Parks and Recreation created a strength training circuit along a walking path in Sherwood Park. To achieve this, GJPR installed four pieces of equipment for working out leg, arm and core muscles, including a rowing machine, sit up and pull up station and leg press. The park once housed similar fitness equipment, but GJCR had to remove it in the mid-nineties due to rot. Today, many residents of the surrounding neighborhoods are 50 and older, and the new equipment gives them an option for a cardio workout and strength training. The fitness stations are available to the public seven days a week and those interested can register for free instruction on how to use them.

ABOUT THE AARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Launched in 2017, the annual AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to local governments and nonprofits in order to fund quick-action, ready-to-implement projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages.

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