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Morrilton, AR

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Organizers with Action Services noticed that many participants in their day program faced solitary, sedentary lives at home. So they set out to create an outdoor therapy and gathering space, designed to be accessible to people of all ages and abilities. First, volunteers poured a concrete slab to serve as a play surface. They then added a basketball hoop and oversized checkerboard painted on the pavement. They also installed benches and picnic tables onsite. To give community members access to fresh, healthy produce, they set up garden boxes for growing fruits and vegetables and planted fruit trees. Organizers say the improvements have led to more older adults spending time outdoors, actively participating in activities.

Dade City, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Community parks lacked ADA-compliant picnic tables, leaving older adults and families without safe, comfortable places to gather. Responding to resident requests, the city installed 10 sturdy tables with signage and concrete pads across multiple parks, creating accessible spaces for rest and celebration. These upgrades encourage older adults to spend more time outdoors, walk to parks and connect with loved ones. Residents shared excitement on social media, saying they plan to visit more often now that seating is available, making Dade City parks more inviting for people of all ages.

Charleston, SC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: The American College of the Building Arts installed benches and a new pergola to create a multigenerational gathering space at the Community's Hope Impact Center, a local community center. The College saw the installation process as an opportunity for education, holding workshops on masonry where volunteers helped lay bricks for the space's walkway. With a goal of preserving, enriching and educating about architectural heritage, the organization trains artisans in traditional building crafts, such as carpentry and forging architectural iron. It was founded in the wake of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which damaged or destroyed much of coastal South Carolina's historic architecture.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

College Place, WA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public spaces improvements to increase high-speed internet availability

Description: Many residents of College Place lacked access to reliable high-speed internet. To address this, the City of College Place installed hotspots at parks, playgrounds, outdoor movie venues, farmers markets and the local municipal center. Organizers ensured each chosen location had a parking lot, allowing residents to access the internet from their vehicles. To spread the word, the City posted signs advertising the hotspots and City staff attended community events to discuss the free Wi-Fi initiative. Project organizers say public Wi-Fi helps residents access important online resources, such as local job postings. Additionally, the undertaking strengthened the City's relationship with the local school district and affordable housing providers.

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