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Village of Champlain (2019) Print
2019 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public space activation
└ Public space activation
The Village of Champlain constructed a freestanding launch for kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards on the Great Chazy River, complete with a gangway to help visitors easily board their boats. A local firm designed and donated materials to add an accessible rail to the launch and the Village has explored setting up a rental system for visitors who do not own a kayak or other boat. Since installation, more individuals from the Village of Champlain and surrounding communities are able to enjoy the river.
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Silver City, NM
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: A dead-end section of Yankie Street was transformed into an engaging, interactive, pedestrian connection between their main downtown street, Bullard, and the Big Ditch Park. The project turned it into an interactive space with historic flood panels, murals and checkerboard designs, plus signage inviting free games like checkers and washers. Local artists infused cultural heritage into the artwork, creating a vibrant link between downtown and Big Ditch Park. "Our families have lived in Grant County since 1900. Our memories of them live on through our creations. We are beyond proud to have been a part of this project." one artist said, underscoring the personal stories woven into the transformation.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: Public plazas are not always grand sometimes they can make a big impact in a tiny space. The Rogers Park Business Alliance and other project organizers purchased a pop-up People Spot from the nearby Chicago neighborhood of Andersonville. The Alliance then deployed the People Spot on Clark Street, with the aim of amping up pedestrian engagement along Rogers Parks' commercial corridor. Also known as a parklet, the mini plaza extends from the sidewalk in what would otherwise be a parking space. Featuring new wood benches and greenery, the parklet offers visitors a pleasant spot to rest or eat lunch. In the future, the Alliance will move the pop-up plaza to different locations throughout the Rogers Park neighborhood.
Oconomowoc, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: This alley activation project turned a stark passageway between the lakefront and downtown retail into a livelier pedestrian link. Project organizers added a painted design on the pavement and constructed trellises to provide shade. The City chose not to close the alleyway during the transformation work. Instead, passersby were invited to lend a hand to the rejuvenation process by painting a faux floor tile (or several). This also allowed visitors to ask questions about the transformation happening before their eyes. The project sparked conversations about how to activate the other downtown alleys, each with its own unique look and distinctive experience. And when the City reconstructed its boardwalk, it borrowed the trellis design used in the alleyway. "People now change their routes to experience the walkway," city planner Kristi Weber said. "It gets folks to lift their heads up, look around and enjoy some untraditional and unexpected art."
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
North Hero, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: In a rural town where isolation is common among older adults, the library created an outdoor space to foster connection and creativity. It installed a circular word garden with etched stones and ADA-compliant benches, complemented by raised beds. A kickoff event drew residents to arrange words into poems and phrases. The garden is now a permanent feature that brings grandparents and grandchildren together. As one visitor said, "My niece didn't even want to come to the library, but after playing with the word garden, she doesn't want to leave."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Swanton, VT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: As part of efforts to redevelop its downtown, the Village of Swanton has worked to makes streets more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. To build community support, the Village staged a one-day traffic calming demonstration. Using hay bales and planters, the community created a barrier to separate the village's parking area from travel lanes, which successfully slowed down vehicle traffic. They also created bump-outs to shorten the distance needed to cross the street and make pedestrians more visible to passing drivers. During the pop-up, residents had the opportunity to make suggestions for long-term streetscape improvements. Following the demonstration, the Village planted trees along busy streets as a traffic calming measure. The Village also established a task force to look at other opportunities for future demonstration projects to test street infrastructure improvements.
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