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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.

See More Projects Like This One

Claremont Opera House (2024)

Claremont, NH

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: This project will add new accessible seating areas to the Opera House to make arts and culture programming inclusive for people of all ages and abilities. Existing accessible seating is located at the rear of the theater, resulting in poor sight lines.

Historic Charlton Park (2024)

Hastings, MI

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Accessibility of amenities

Description: This project will enhance accessibility for pedestrians of all ages at an historic village. Improvements will include a new concrete sidewalk, ramps and barrier-free entries to the village's five buildings.

Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation (2023)

Reno, NV

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.

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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