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Opelika Main Street (2022) Print
2022 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Organizers with Opelika Main Street hoped to draw more visitors downtown. To do this, they activated an underused public space by adding outdoor games. Volunteers installed a giant, colorful chess and checkers set, suitable for people of all ages to enjoy. Organizers say the new game center represents a safe place for residents of all ages to gather.
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Milton-Freewater, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This project temporarily transformed an underused parking lot into a town plaza, dubbed Freewater Square. First, the Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance made repairs to the pavement and added electric and water access at the site. They then purchased outdoor furniture, shade umbrellas and games. Volunteers also built planters and installed a stage for performances. To beautify the plaza, project organizers also held a mural painting competition. After the transformation, the plaza hosted monthly events, including live music, movie nights, community art projects and game tournaments -- all of which gave residents a safe way to socialize during the COVID-19 pandemic. Small buildings host pop-ups, allowing the site the act as a small business incubator. Eventually, MFDA plans to revert the site to a parking lot. But project organizers say they will use ideas from the plaza activation to permanently convert a nearby vacant lot into a community market and activity center.
Ossipee, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The park lacked shade and shelter, leaving older adults and families exposed to sun and rain. Volunteers built a 12-by-16-foot pavilion and added an ADA-compliant picnic table and benches, contributing more than 500 hours to the effort. The pavilion now serves as a safe, year-round gathering spot for meetings and celebrations. One resident stated that now "we see people using the park almost every hour of the day. "
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Tallahassee, FL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The Goodwood Museum and Gardens revitalized a historic roller rink, transforming it into a gathering space for outdoor activities. The rink -- originally built in 1916 -- sat vacant for years, but the Museum saw potential for the 10,000-square-foot site. Accessibility was a main goal for project organizers, so the Museum installed an ADA-compliant sidewalk, ramp and handrails. They also added lighting to increase safety at the site, levelled the rink's concrete surface, added landscaping and upgraded electrical wiring. These enhancements attracted community partners to the space, including the Irish Repertory Theater and the Southern Shakespeare Company. Today the site hosts a monthly live performance featuring local musicians, along with other community activities.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Camp Hill, AL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Camp Hill residents lacked access to fresh produce and safe spaces for exercise, leaving many older adults in a food desert. The foundation responded by building raised beds for a fall garden, installing fencing and creating a one-mile asphalt walking path. Volunteers planted greens that fed more than 200 people and added signage to make the space inviting. The project now serves as a permanent resource for healthy living and sparked plans for composting, marketing produce and adding a hoop house for year-round growing.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LaGrange, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Expansion and enhancement of transportation options
Description: West Georgia Star addressed the lack of public transportation in LaGrange by providing shuttle rides for older adults to grocery stores and doctor visits. The project also installed a community garden and hosted activities like bingo to foster social engagement. Volunteers supported transportation and garden construction, creating opportunities for fellowship and reducing isolation. These efforts improved mobility and laid the groundwork for future health clinics and expanded services, helping residents stay connected and active in a rural community with limited transit options.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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