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NeighborWorks Alaska (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public art installations
└ Public art installations
Fish Creek Trail is a winding, multi-use path connecting schools, parks and a recreation center in Spenard, one of Anchorage's oldest and most diverse neighborhoods. NeighborWorks engaged six local artists, storytellers and graphic designers to create interpretive panels, which they installed along the trail for residents to view as they walk, ride or roll along. The panels display paintings, watercolors and digital designs, which illustrate participants' personal experiences, family tales, memories of using the trail and a traditional Dena'ina story. Project organizers hope the artwork will generate renewed community pride and celebration.
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See More Projects Like This One
Ville Platte, LA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: The Tee Cotton Bowl is an annual high school football game -- and week-long event -- that promotes racial reconciliation. As part of local revitalization efforts, the Acosta Foundation engaged a team of multigenerational volunteers to create a 100-foot-long mural as a symbol of the community coming together. A small, landscaped seating area allows visitors to enjoy the artwork, with LED lighting illuminating the mural. Volunteers hailed from all parts of the city and worked on all elements of the project, from cleaning the wall to hosting a celebratory party during the Bowl. The project's success sparked creation of another mural on the grounds of Ville Platt's city hall.
Binghamton, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: To improve the walkability and aesthetics of an industrial neighborhood in Binghamton, the Center for Technology and Innovation installed a 300-square-foot topographical map mural. Displayed along Wall Street, the artwork depicts a stretch of New York State from Cooperstown to Lake Erie. Organizers say the map aims to enliven pedestrian-friendly block connecting Northside residential neighborhood to downtown shopping areas and a regional transportation hub. The three-dimensional map, prepared with the help of the U.S. Geological Survey, is titled Here in the Heart of New York.
Blacksburg, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: To beautify a busy corridor in Blacksburg, the project installed a mural paying tribute to the area's natural environment and history. Volunteers worked to install the artwork -- which depicts a flurry of butterflies -- along a busy pedestrian streetscape.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Anchorage, AK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Folker Park is a 2-acre urban forest located within the city of Anchorage. The park is adjacent to intergenerational living facilities and in the past was used by people of all ages. However, many of the park's volunteer caretakers have stopped routine maintenance, leaving many areas overgrown and essentially unusable. To improve the park, the Anchorage Park Foundation installed six outdoor musical instruments, a reflexology footpath, a healing maze and age-accessible fitness equipment. They also gathered volunteers to weed garden beds, pick up trash and plant flowers. Today, the park a central hub for the community once again, and a source of pride for residents.
Anchorage, AK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: This project will hold a design competition where teams will test recent local zoning reform efforts. Each team will create feasible designs for missing middle housing, including accessible units for people age 50 and older. The competition will also communicate the benefits of multi-generational housing.
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