Gainesville, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Capturing data and feedback from residents

Description: The City of Gainesville created a virtual module on zoning and planning for its Pop Up Learning Lab. The online platform aims to inform residents about the City of Gainesville through interactive games, which use city data. When designing the learning lab, the City envisioned displaying the platform on kiosks at community events. The hands-on interactive exhibits are meant to encourage thoughtful community dialogue on data, connected technologies and local livability.

Gainesville, FL

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Engaging residents alongside thought leaders in problem solving

Description: The City of Gainesville hosted its first hackathon -- a virtual event that brought together local organizations and residents to improve the city's open data portal. The goal was to find ways to more easily connect neighbors with local services and resources, ultimately making Gainesville a more livable community. To reach that goal, the City purchased a domain and server space to host data from a variety of municipal departments. This allowed project organizers to demonstrate the new data portal to local leadership and community partners, ensuring their buy-in. The hackathon was part of Code for America's National Day of Civic Hacking.