Charles City is home to Iowa's first whitewater park. Nearly a decade ago, town leaders decided to build the park to make use of the town's riverfront, which was worn down by tornadoes and floods. Now city officials are trying to tap into what they see as another underutilized community asset -- senior citizens. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ This summer, AARP designated the town of about 7,400 as the state's second "age-friendly community" after Des Moines. This means leaders are putting together plans to improve transportation, housing and healthcare with a special focus on seniors. Nearly a quarter of the town's population is over 65. Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews says the plan also has economic benefits. Seniors have more disposable income that could help the town. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Read the full story and find more reporting from our #IowaInFocus series by following the link in our bio. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 📸: IPR⁠/Natalie Krebs⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ #Iowa #CharlesCity #IANews #rurallife