At the Cville Tool Library, we love hearing how members put our tools to work, and this recent project is a perfect example of creativity, sustainability, and neighborly teamwork coming together.
Spencer, a tool library member, faced a persistent problem: rainwater and near-street parking had carved a growing gully where the yard met the road. During storms, soil washed downhill and often ended up on a neighbor’s driveway. Hiring a contractor would have cost thousands, so he decided to tackle the issue himself with a little help from the Tool Library.
After picking up half-width concrete blocks from the Habitat ReStore, Spencer borrowed a pickaxe, a two-sided rake (“perfect for smoothing the bed under the blocks”), and three shovels (two long-handled, one short; a mix of square and rounded blades). He later joked that he should have borrowed a tamper too!
Using these tools, he leveled the gully and installed the blocks to create a stretch of pervious pavement along the street. The voids were filled with a mix of stone and soil, and the next step was transplanting sod from new garden beds or planting sedges and wildflowers to hold the soil in place and further slow runoff.
And the results? After a significant storm, far less soil washed away than in previous rains, despite the soil still being loose from recent work.
Beyond the practical success, this project sparked some personal insights. Spencer noted how satisfying it was to see his own skills improve as he worked (“the last blocks I laid were definitely more level than the first!”). While he doesn’t see himself becoming a masonry hobbyist, he loved applying the principles of green design and ecosystem restoration often discussed in the classroom.
Spencer also shared what many of us feel about the Tool Library: that borrowing instead of buying reduces waste, conserves resources, and keeps tools fulfilling their purpose—just like the ones many of us have inherited from family. Tools deserve to be used, not sit idle in a shed.
And of course, no good project happens alone: special thanks to Spencer’s neighbor, Nick, who helped haul the blocks and loaned a wheelbarrow for redistributing soil.
Projects like this show what’s possible when neighbors help neighbors and a community shares its tools. Have a project you’re proud of? We’d love to feature it next!
