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Spark (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
Organizers with Spark thought an unused parking lot at the head of the North Omaha Trail had potential to be something more. So they set out to turn the site into a seed archive -- a building designed to store seeds for growing vegetables, flowers and other plants. Local artists decorated the new building and project organizers installed seating for the space. The seed archive supports the nearby Healthy Roots community garden, which provides fresh produce to local families. Additionally, the archive represents a win for biodiversity, since many of the seeds stored there will grow into plants native to Nebraska, including pollinator-friendly species.
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See More Projects Like This One
Cuba City, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: For more than ten years, Cuba City's planning documents promised an intergenerational gathering space downtown. This project made good on that promise, converting a gravel parking lot into a gathering space. Organizers hoped the Presidential Plaza Project would increase walkability and draw traffic to Cuba City's Main Street business district. To activate the space, volunteers installed a bike rack, outdoor games and picnic tables with umbrellas for shade. A Wi-Fi hotspot provides free internet access for visitors. To beautify the area, residents painted a large mural on the pavement, which pays tribute to frontline workers' contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. A later addition to the mural depicts the Mississippi river and includes an area for visitors to play hopscotch.
England, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Ward 3 in England faced decades of neglect, leaving older adults without safe spaces for connection or activity. The Serenity Garden project transformed a vacant lot into a vibrant hub, adding a farm stand, foot-operated wash station, bike rack with a repair station, shade structures and murals. Accessible paths and fitness signage made gardening and exercise achievable for residents age 50-plus. These upgrades fostered pride and inclusion. Neighbors in wheelchairs joined concerts and picked fresh produce, while murals boosted visibility and hope for renewal. As one resident noted, the improvements made summer gatherings more enjoyable and strengthened community ties.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Middleburgh, NY
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To make its parks and business district more accessible to a wide range of people, the Village of Middleburgh installed six benches and two multi-use tables. Village staff report those benches and tables proved useful during the COVID-19 pandemic when they provided older adults with a place for safe, outdoor activities. The project also attracted additional private and nonprofit donations for future improvements in Middleburgh and inspired plans for other accessibility projects, such as adding a wheelchair lift to the village hall.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Fremont, NE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: A local community garden lacked accessibility and security, limiting use by older adults and neighbors. To address this, the project added crushed asphalt walkways for safer footing, seating around raised beds and a full enclosure with trellised entryways. A camera was installed to deter theft, and a stolen watering system was replaced. These upgrades improved safety and usability, drawing praise from residents and setting the stage for expanded planting next season. Plans include doubling crop yield and hosting a spring cookout to boost volunteer engagement.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Fremont, NE
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services
Description: As part of a neighborhood volunteer day, unsafe sidewalks and front porches will be repaired for residents age 50-plus. This effort will reduce trip hazards, improve home entry and support safer walking in established neighborhoods.
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