AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Town of Londonderry (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Accessibility of amenities
└ Accessibility of amenities
To increase accessibility in its public spaces, the Town of Londonderry installed ten park benches in the Town Common and adjacent Kent Allen Town Forest. This accessibility upgrade sparked additional work there, including drainage improvements and the addition of native plants to the forest. In addition, the local Girl Scout troop installed a story book trail at the site. Since adding the benches, the town has also seen increased trail usage.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Cheyenne, OK
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Older adults and residents with mobility challenges struggled to access all areas of the Rook Event Center because temporary wooden handrails were unstable and unsafe. Friends of the Rook replaced them with permanent, ADA-compliant handrails at key locations, including the top level, doorway transition and patio ramp. Volunteers assisted with design and cleanup. The new handrails improved safety and accessibility, enabling older adults to navigate the space confidently. At a recent fundraiser, many used the handrails to reach the lower level, and the project sparked community interest in further accessibility upgrades.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Conway, AR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Native prairie habitat will be restored and an ADA boardwalk and viewing platform constructed. The space will support outdoor learning, nature viewing and community programs.
Danforth, ME
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Danforth removed a major barrier to opening its first center for older adults by adding an ADA-compliant walkway, a new entrance and a safe stairwell. The upgrades allowed the center to open three days a week with a resource coordinator helping residents access transportation, utilities and other essentials. The center now hosts meals, tech help and social events, reducing isolation in a rural area with high poverty and disability rates. One resident, once unable to attend gatherings, shared her joy after walking "right down the paved, handicapped walkway and into the smiling faces of friends and neighbors."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Litchfield, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: At Darrah Pond, older adults and residents with mobility challenges had limited ways to fish safely and comfortably, even though the park was a popular gathering place. Without an accessible platform, some residents could not reach the water or participate alongside family members. The Litchfield Recreation Commission addressed this by installing a removable, accessible fishing dock with a ramp, bench and safety railings. Volunteers completed the assembly and site work, creating a stable place to fish, sit and spend time by the pond. The dock was used almost immediately, expanding access for residents who use walkers and others who need a place to rest while fishing. Participation in fishing events increased, and the space began fostering interaction across generations as older adults shared tips and stories with younger residents.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Derry, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: To encourage community bonding and intergenerational connections, the Marion Gerrish Community Center created an outdoor space for people to play games. The Center chose large games -- including cornhole, bocce, Jenga, Connect Four, Yardzee, Farkel, chess and checkers -- that would be easy to play and visible from the street. They made the area designated for the games level, ensuring it would be accessible and safe. The Center offers weekly times for older adults to play cornhole and bocce. Community members can sign out the games for use on the property and the Center also loans them out for local events, including Derry Fest, the Derry Farmers Market and the local police departments' National Nite Out.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP New Hampshire State Office
45 South Main Street
Suite 202
Concord, NH 03301
United States