AARP Hearing Center
Clockwise from top left: Images from Danforth, Maine; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Bristol and Sterling, Colorado
Courtesy images
By encouraging creative thinking, rural and remote communities can transform public places into welcoming spaces that meet the needs of residents, spark meaningful interactions and serve as useful destinations.
Manchester, New Hampshire
An elevated boardwalk allows visitors to move through the swampiest part of the Cedar Swamp Preserve. Benches are located every 300 to 700 feet along the trail.
Photo courtesy APT Boardwalk © Jeff Lougee/Courtesy TNC
To make the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve more accessible to visitors, The Nature Conservancy built the 1.2-mile All Persons Trail with support from a 2021 AARP Community Challenge grant.
Described as “an out‑and‑back, gently undulating route” that’s “ideal for visitors using wheelchairs, strollers and other assistive/adaptive devices,” the trail's boardwalk (pictured) and 6-foot-wide surface of compacted crushed stone can accommodate two wheelchairs traveling side by side.
Benches placed along the path are useful for all visitors. An audio tour app is available in English and Spanish.
Bristol and Sterling, Colorado
A mural featuring the Bristol Senior-Community Center and a promotion for a fitness class at the Logan County Heritage Center.
Images courtesy Town of Bristol Improvements Board, mural by Irene Grissom, and the Logan County Heritage Center
Enabling Accessibility
The Historic Claremont Opera House in Claremont, New Hampshire, used AARP Community Challenge grants from 2023 and 2024 to acquire headphones with enhanced sound for people with hearing challenges and relocate the venue’s accessible seating areas from the rear of the theater to a row with a better view. Also in New Hampshire, the Special Needs Support Center of the Upper Valley used an AARP grant to supply local businesses that have earned its Enabled Upper Valley disability-friendly designation with accommodation-supportive devices such as noise-canceling headphones.
Leveraging local talent to tell the story of the community’s past, the nonprofit Town of Bristol Improvements Board commissioned a local artist to create six historical murals to bring the region’s past to life. The murals are embedded with QR codes that link viewers to detailed histories.
The art and a garden featuring flower beds, sculptures and seating were supported by an AARP Community Challenge grant.
To attract more community members to its activities, the Logan County Heritage Center in Sterling launched a Zumba-inspired cardio dance class. The center scheduled other adult education classes before the fitness sessions so attendees could participate in multiple activities during one visit.
Danforth, Maine
A presentation slide about the creation of the Danforth Livable Communities Center
Photo courtesy Danford Livable Community Center
Located in a remote region of eastern Maine, Danforth (population 1,000) is a resource hub for its surrounding communities. When a local church closed its doors, its leaders donated the building to serve as a community center.
With renovations needed, creative fundraisers — including Murder Mystery nights, plant sales and raffles — raised funds and built grassroots support for the Danforth Livable Communities Center.
In 2022, an AARP Community Challenge grant supported accessibility improvements and new activities at the center, which provides critical services, including nutrition programs, transportation services, and social, recreational and educational offerings. Because funding often inspires others to give, the AARP grant helped the town garner additional support from public and private donors.
Space Makers
- Start Small: Don’t wait for the timing or resources to be perfect. If there’s a space where people can gather for coffee or board games, pursue using it. An outdoor path or large indoor space can become a location for a local walking group even if the preferred venue would be a specialized walking or running path. Lean into local partnerships to expand available resources by using an existing space or tapping into different audiences to spread the word about what’s needed.
- Find Like-Minded Funders: While fundraising events are important and can be fun, most community projects need grants and other monies to achieve big goals. A strong alignment between a community's goals and a funder's mission increases the likelihood of securing support and a sustainable partnership that can create lasting, positive change.
- Engage a Liaison: To welcome and include residents who don’t get out much or get involved, extend an invitation through an individual or group that has a connection with that community. Visit the AARP Livability Library for more articles and resources about community engagement.
