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Preservation Buffalo Niagara (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Preservation Buffalo Niagara wanted to improve the pedestrian experience in Buffalo's Grant Street commercial corridor, which has suffered from disinvestment. With the goal of beautifying the neighborhood, the organization installed trash receptacles on light poles and hung string lights in front of local businesses. The community has a proud history of diversity, including 20 years of welcoming resettled refugees. To celebrate the community's diversity, PBC installed multilingual wayfinding sign and distributed flags representing business owners' countries of origin. To ensure upkeep, they also provided tools to help volunteers maintain the sidewalks and support a community gardener.
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Chillicothe, OH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The City of Chillicothe transformed a neglected lot in the Sixth Ward into its first neighborhood park, addressing a lack of green space in an area with high obesity rates and low life expectancy. The new pocket park features ADA-compliant walkways, benches, picnic tables and a playground, all within a fenced, well-lit space. Residents now have a safe place to gather and stay active, with one grandmother sharing that her grandkids "are so excited to walk to the park and play" while she enjoys sitting nearby.
Montpelier, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To provide a place for cyclists and walkers to rest and socialize, this project developed a pocket park along an existing bike path. Guertin Pocket Park features a pergola -- a wooden structure with a roof -- to provide shelter from the sun or rain. Project organizers also incorporated seating and bike racks, as well as a rainwater collection system that feeds a small decorative garden. In 2021, the city decided to move the pocket park to a new location in the heart of downtown.
Skowhegan, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Older adults lacked safe, accessible walking routes to downtown and essential services, leaving them isolated and limiting recovery options for those prescribed walking for health. The town regraded the trail to meet ADA standards, added bench seating along a new retaining wall and installed underground utilities for future lighting. These upgrades created a defined, safer passage to the pedestrian bridge and nearby trails, improving access to the hospital, library and municipal offices. Footbridge use has already increased. "I was approached by several residents that expressed their gratitude... It was inspiring to know that what we were doing was making a difference," said a project lead.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Buffalo, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: The Dorothy J. Collier Community Center serves residents of all ages, providing free and low-cost meals, exercise classes, social events and more. Organizers with the center hoped to offer residents another option: monthly jazz events. Participants enjoyed performances by local school groups and jazz musicians, received music lessons and enjoyed food from different cultures. Additionally, they had the opportunity to meet and share their needs with local elected leaders, who attended each of the five Jazz Nights. The events allowed the center promote efforts to beautify the community center. Following, project organizers completed an indoor mural in the space. In addition to increasing civic and social engagement, organizers said the Jazz Nights helped the community heal from a traumatic event -- the monthly gatherings kicked off in the wake of a mass shooting in Buffalo and gave attendees space to experience joy and comfort each other.
Buffalo, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Engaging residents in vibrant public places
Description: To reinvigorate three historically Black, east-side neighborhoods and foster community, LISC launched its Pride in Place Buffalo initiative. The organization created an interactive website mapping arts and cultural institutions. Following community engagement sessions to identify appropriate sites for the discovery map, project organizers compiled a list of cultural landmarks, nature and parks, transportation hubs, public art installations and other local anchors. The also site helps community members locate activities and resources, including self-guided walking and bicycling tours, food distribution resources and more. "The map basically creates a home base -- a virtual home base -- for communities that sometimes get forgotten, sometimes don't feel like their voices are being heard," Web Developer Marquis Burton said. In addition, LISC installed 20 idea boxes -- decorated by local artists -- for residents to leave their feedback about what they would like to see in the community.
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