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Roundup Community Partners (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
The large public space in the Roundup's downtown lacked accessible seating. As part of its historic preservation and economic development work, Roundup Community Partners added picnic tables and benches to the plaza. The new seating is designed to be accessible for visitors of all ages and abilities. The plaza sits on the town's Main Street and project organizers hope the seating helps incentivize residents and visitors to shop and eat downtown. "Thanks to our local leaders and AARP, Roundup's Welcome Plaza is a dynamic hub for the community that increases local commerce, strengthens local pride, and broadens awareness of Roundup's history," Roundup Mayor Sandra Jones said of the project.
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See More Projects Like This One
Chelsea, MA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Chelsea lacked spaces that reflect its Latinx culture, leaving older adults without a welcoming place to gather while accessing essential services. La Colaborativa addressed this by creating La Plazita, an outdoor pavilion connected to the new Survival Center, featuring covered tables, art and music. Completed in late 2023, the plaza now hosts cultural celebrations and offers respite from daily challenges. It has become a multi-generational hub that restores a sense of identity and is expected to inspire similar spaces in other communities.
Wilton, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: In a rural town where many older residents lacked shaded, accessible spaces and opportunities for meaningful engagement, Wilton built a handicap-accessible gazebo along the riverwalk and launched a Senior Citizen Science Program. Volunteers age 55-plus assembled the structure and ramp, creating the first shaded amenity downtown. Thirty older adults joined the program to collect wildlife data for conservation efforts. The gazebo quickly became a social hub for gatherings and nature observation, while the science program reconnected residents with their community and informed updates to the town's Natural Resource Inventory.
St. Louis, MO
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: The North Hanley Transit Center had long lacked seating, shade and visual appeal, creating an unwelcoming environment for riders. The project added benches with backs and armrests, canopies, colorful pavement art and murals, along with updated shelters and wayfinding. These improvements made the station more comfortable and inviting, and have prompted further investment and discussions of large-scale development. As one transit operator noted, "This station looks fresh and inviting. The seats are great and riders seem so much happier."
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Billings, MT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Older adults in Billings faced high screen time and low physical activity, increasing risks for isolation and health decline. To address this, the coalition added a surface challenge board and walking signs in Lillis Park, encouraging balance exercises and daily movement. These features complement pickleball courts and trails, creating a more inclusive space for all ages. The project set a model for age-friendly park design and will support fall prevention programs. "I am excited to have a walking trail and support to stay fit in my neighborhood," said one of the project participants.
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