Greenville gets AARP Community Challenge Grant

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AARP has awarded the city of Greenville a $10,000 grant through its 2018 Community Challenge Grant Program. In its second year, the Community Challenge Grant Program provides quick action grant funding to help communities make immediate improvements and jumpstart long-term progress to support residents of all ages.

The city will use the grant to renovate Walker Park, a .25-acre open space located in the West Greenville community. AARP received nearly 1,600 applications from nonprofit and governmental agencies across the country and will distribute a total of $1.3 million to fund 129 projects, according to a news release.

Walker Park currently consists of some benches and a single horseshoe pit; however, despite its small size and limited amenities, it is well-used by neighborhood seniors who regularly play horseshoes and hold horseshoe tournaments at the park, the city said. The city will use the AARP grant to refurbish the existing benches and horseshoe pit and add new amenities, including a shelter and an ADA accessible horseshoe pit. Additionally, the city’s Community Development Division will provide matching funds for two ADA accessible game tables and the city’s Public Works Department will install an ADA accessible entrance ramp into the park. The renovations are expected to be complete by November 2018.