John Hooper is a problem solver. 

Make that a problems solver. And the problems  the Public Grounds Maintenance worker faced in Krutch Park Extension were multifold.
Water was pooling on the northside of the park between the sidewalk and the Embassy Suites building, causing dirt and mulch to enter and clog the storm drain in that area.

As the trees grew thicker and blocked more sun, grass became more sparse in the increasing shade.

Hooper proposed a more permanent solution to prevent the clogging while also improving the appearance of that side of the park.

His design included a dry creek bed landscaped with simple plants to absorb the rainwater and divert it toward the drain.

Then there was the matter of the goat trail.

"You could tell that people had been walking in that area, off the sidewalk," Hooper said, so he responded to and guided that behavior with a flagstone path.

The flagstones he used for the project had been crated up in storage for several years -- since they'd been removed from Market Square to make room for historic bricks removed during the renovation of the Jackson Avenue ramps.

Using leftover materials kept the project budget low, and the timeline was equally efficient: Hooper and the Horticulture crew completed the project in just three days in late February.

Thanks John Hooper, supervisor Chris Webster and everyone who helped with this low-key beautification with benefits!