CINCINNATI —

Dozens of volunteers came together at Irving Playground in Avondale to help revitalize a blighted park and to help police with a new plan to fight crime.

“It's extremely exciting to see everybody dive in like they are now,” volunteer Michael Neade said.

About 50 volunteers planted hundreds of flowers and plants. The Cincinnati Zoo and Mad Tree Brewing accounted for the bulk of the volunteers.

“Today is not where it stops. So, it continues to grow and get better,” volunteer Catie Bechstamper said.

At the same time, there’s another plan weaved into the revitalization effort. It’s devised by police because of crime problems at the park.

“I was getting a lot of complaints about nuisance, drug dealing, crowds, violent behavior, in this exact park,” Cincinnati Police Sgt. Jeff Meister said. “We just kind of chose this, put all efforts into Irving Playground.”

Meister said they’re working with a new concept that uses environmental design to help prevent crime.

The idea is that involving the community makes them more invested in keeping the area safe. It gives them a sense of ownership in the project.

“It's all about relationships, right? Like between the pollinators in the plants, between the neighborhood and all of the organizations around, between the city officials and everybody who is involved in making this project happen,” said Cincinnati Zoo director of community partnerships and conservation Mollie O’Neil. “Spaces like this in nature really do help people root and a sense of place and then care for this area and make great memories.”

A landscaping company that operates in eight states and Washington, D.C. says it surprised its employees with a total of $28 million in appreciation bonuses.

Ruppert Landscape says the bonuses went to employees who have been with the company for at least one year. Excluding the top leadership team, 1,200 employees received bonuses reportedly ranging from $7,000 to $200,000.

“Everyone receiving this bonus was instrumental in helping create the value that we’ve been able to realize,” said CEO Craig Ruppert. “This bonus is money that is well-deserved and a way for us to acknowledge the value of our teams’ contributions and the essential role that they will play in our company’s future.”

The company said it was able to give out the bonuses because of a recent partnership with an investment firm.

According to the company's website, it started in the 1970s when Craig Ruppert began asking his neighbors if he could mow their lawns. Over the past 50 years, the company has grown to more than 2,000 employees. The company's portfolio includes work at Georgetown University, Six Flags American and President Lincoln's Cottage.