A major transformation of the massive “sea of asphalt” surrounding our building took place during the month of November. A generous grant from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) along with other Grace Center Funding sources allowed us to remove almost half of the asphalt area and replace it with rain gardens, bio swales, landscaping, grass turf, and dedicated parking. We installed a shorter decorative fence with gates in place of the six-foot-high chain link fence and the large backstop fences in the corners. The west parking lot on the 5th street side of the building will be partially regraded and repaved. Some of the landscaping has been installed, but more will follow when the weather warms in the Spring.