Richmond, VA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: To increase residents' access to outdoor greenspace and bolster the local economy, Richmond Venture created the Brooklyn Park Boulevard parklet. Located in a primarily Black-owned business corridor, the mini-park sites in the footprint of an on-street parking space. Volunteers outfitted the space with seating and tables, giving visitors a place to relax and socialize. Organizers say the space encourages residents to purchase food and beverages from nearby restaurants, which they can eat onsite. To encourage people to visit, Venture Richmond also installed a bike rack nearby.

Grand Forks, ND

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: As part of its mission to connect the community, the Grand Forks Public Library created an intergenerational music playground on its grounds. A group of older adult volunteers helped select all-weather musical instruments and installed them on a concrete slab. Since the installation, the project has brought adults and children together, demonstrating the value of activating underused public spaces. Additionally, the playground has strengthened the library's relationship with a nearby senior housing community. Project organizers say the musical instruments offer psychological and health benefits for older adults, such as reduced stress, improved mood and greater cognitive skills.

Albany, GA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public space activation

Description: Many communities in Lee County lacked accessibility features and infrastructure to bring residents together. To address this, the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission installed recreational equipment, outdoor art and other amenities in several municipalities. In Albany, the Commission commissioned a large sculpture of a turtle to compliment the town's other public art installations. In Leesburg, it installed park benches and message boards in the community's nature park, which joined outdoor games and cedar benches purchased by the local housing authority. And in Thomasville, the Commission created a pop-up porch, which extends useable sidewalk space into on-street parking spaces. The portable porch can be transported, reconfigured and installed in different locations, allowing residents to gather for conversation and events. The popularity of the parklet inspired a local arts organization to install their own portable porches for its annual art exhibition.