Spirit of Macon Park coming to downtown with help from AARP grant

The Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority (MTA) has received a 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grant, one of only 10 projects in Georgia selected from more than 3,400 submissions nationwide.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A vacant lot in downtown Macon is set to be transformed into a wellness-focused park, thanks to a national grant aimed at making communities more livable for people of all ages.

The Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority (MTA) has received a 2025 AARP Community Challenge Grant, one of only 10 projects in Georgia selected from more than 3,400 submissions nationwide.

With the funding, MTA will create The Spirit of Macon Park at the corner of Fifth and Poplar streets, directly across from the downtown Transfer Station and the historic Terminal Station.

The project is designed with older adults and people with disabilities in mind, but it will be open and accessible to everyone. Plans include wellness programming, safety improvements, and beautification efforts.

“We will be working with Parks & Recreation on exercise, and we’re not talking about exercise for elite athletes,” said Jami Gaudet, public information officer for MTA. “We are talking about people who perhaps are sedentary, who perhaps don’t have access to a gym. So we’re going to have Tai Chi, we’re going to have wellness classes and classes that deal with nutrition and lifestyle. It’s going to be a composite of everything we think people need for a healthy lifestyle if they’re interested in coming.”

The initiative is part of a multi-year effort by MTA to revitalize the area. Since 2022, the site has undergone several upgrades, including new murals.

Transit leaders say The Spirit of Macon Park will offer a peaceful place for people to gather, connect and focus on their well-being in the heart of downtown. The project is expected to be completed by mid-December 2025.