AARP Technical Grant Brings 880 Cities to Montgomery

During Summer 2021, despite the challenges of Covid-19, 880 Cities hosted a 3-part virtual workshop to train City staff, Community members and Organizational leaders in ways to transform our cities so that they better serve our youngest and oldest citizens. Why? Because age-friendly cities are healthier, greener, better connected and more equitable. 

Examples from around the world, and throughout the South, demonstrate the role of Citizen-led initiatives to make streets safer, more bike and pedestrian friendly, more playful and vibrant. Here in Montgomery, our focus was our Riverfront Trail and connectivity to Downtown, but expanded to include neighborhood trails and placemaking initiatives.

Pop-Up events were introduced through the acronym TASTE: temporary, affordable, strategic, tests in real time that result in E- evidence. We will be working together through the network of partners shown in the image below and any would like to join, to support more collaborative approaches to re-invigorating our City.

Please find below several resources you can use right now to assess the accessibility, mobility and overall quality of your parks, trails, streets, plazas and other shared public spaces.

CHECK OUT THEIR AMAZING PRESENTATION HERE:
Age Friendly parks and public spaces - Montgomery

ALSO: you can see and add to the "JAM BOARDS" we used to share ideas and visions for 880 MGM

Jam Board 1 – Downtown & Riverfront Park - https://jamboard.google.com/d/1hCk3aIAyIbLncgCEWpsrHDNM_7jxi8NRToXudkRSDsM/edit?usp=sharing

Jam Board 2 – Trails & Neighborhood Parks - https://jamboard.google.com/d/1SdOSc8MBAqQFs3sIKqBhPBdAQIQ4xlGjyLZSGZEpfYY/edit?usp=sharing

Jam Board 3 – Streets & Plazas - https://jamboard.google.com/d/1FNq2decWzDtcZXPjkC2INMJm1nZQXDhdI076xccq1Rk/edit?usp=sharing

RESOURCES FOR ASSESSING & IMPROVING PARKS, TRAILS & PUBLIC SPACES

880 Cities: is a non-profit organization bringing citizens together to enhance mobility & public spaces so we can create vibrant, healthy, & equitable communities.

https://www.880cities.org/

AARP Livability Work: Learn what a livable community is, and how and why AARP is working with local leaders and residents nationwide to make communities more livable for people of all ages

https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/

Better Block Recipes: provides examples and creative ideas for claiming under-used spaces . Recipes feature some of their most popular design elements that anyone can gather the supplies for and implement in their own neighborhood. Better Block guides are short and sweet recipes that walk you through each step of creating a placemaking element with your team. Parklets, Pop-Up Trails, Activity Squares, Garden Plazas and more!

https://www.betterblock.org/recipes-1 -

Creating Parks & Public Spaces for People of All Ages: has been produced for a broad audience — local leaders, policymakers, community advocates and neighborhood residents — for use in collecting data, evaluating opportunities, and generating ideas for how to increase the quality and quantity of parks and outdoor spaces nationwide. 

https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/livable-documents/documents-2018/Parks%20Guide-LR-091018-singles.pdf

Parks Serve: They are working to insure that there is a park within a 10-minute walk of every person, in every neighborhood and every city. Look up Montgomery to find demographic and other data regarding our progress to accomplish this important goal. 

https://www.tpl.org/parkserve

Parks Tool Kit: The Park Prescription Program Toolkit is an interactive, step-by-step guide for agencies interested in starting their own Park Prescription program. Park Prescription programs (also called ParkRx) involve health or social service providers encouraging people to spend time in nature to improve their health and well-being. They can be as diverse as the communities for which they are designed and often include collaboration between park and public land agencies, healthcare providers, and community partners.

https://www.parkrx.org/parkrx-toolkit

NEXT STEPS & FOLLOW UP

River Region Trails to Host Pop-Up Trail in Cloverdale October 2021: Dedicated to improving our trail access and network throughout the River Region, this event is being designed to train others in how to host their own pop-up trail. 

Please see their website for details: https://www.riverregiontrails.org/

Neighborhood Services to Host Pop-Up Event Downtown Spring 2022: to train neighborhoods in how to host their own pop-ups! They are also preparing to host a "lending library" of pop-up event supplies. They love yarnbombing!

Please see their website for more information about what they do: https://www.mgmc3.com/

 Walk Audit of the Riverfront Loop and Park Audit of Riverfront Park: Upcoming 2022

 Stay tuned for theses hands-on opportunities to learn how to conduct your own walk or park audit in your neighborhood. These evaluations provide important data that empower citizens to advocate for change and track progress.