MOSES LAKE — Boys and Girls Club of the Columbia Basin Executive Director Kim Pope said one of her club members had what she considered the best reaction of the day to the new Maple Grove Park.

“One of the club kids said, ‘This is so beautiful.’ And I said, “It is, isn’t it?’ That just summed up my entire day,” Pope said.

The new park is part of the Maple Grove housing development under construction by Hayden Homes at the intersection of Maple Drive and Grape Drive. Hayden Homes employees cut the ribbon at a dedication ceremony for the new park Thursday. It was donated to the city once it was finished, said Katy Wooderson, vice president of marketing for Hayden Homes.

“This was a big improvement to this area,” said Moses Lake Mayor Don Myers. “The park was definitely needed.

“As I walked around it I happened to notice that the majority of the trees are maple trees. So good job on planning that out. It will be a maple grove,” Myers said.

Gina Donangelo of Hayden Homes said it’s the continuation of a relationship that dates back a long way.

“We’ve been building for over 30 years mostly in Moses Lake,” she said. “We’re honestly so excited to dedicate this park to the city – it’s our second park dedication. It’s just something that’s near and dear to our hearts.”

It’s a custom of Hayden Homes to make a donation to a charitable organization as part of the company’s “Give As You Go” program, Wooderson said. For this project the company donated a variety of toys, from hula hoops to soccer balls, to the Boys and Girls Club.

“They’ve been a good supporter of our club for years,” Pope said.

Hayden Homes regularly makes donations to the club and supports the annual auction, she said. Donangelo contacted club officials and asked about making a donation when the park was dedicated, and Pope said the club needed outdoor toys. The club had some but not enough to go around, she said, and now it’ll be easier to have something for everyone that wants to play.

“You see the piles of (toys) there,’ Pope said, pointing to the donations piled on the grass.

And the outdoor nature of the donation was important.

“Lots of activities – not sitting watching a video,” Pope said. “Getting out and playing. So those will be put to use. Today, as soon as the kids (arrived) they wanted to play with all the toys.”

The Maple Grove development includes about 95 homes, Wooderson said. About 20 are still available, Donangelo said, and construction has started on another 14 homes in the Maple Landing development, being built on a piece of adjoining property.

Wooderson said supporting the communities where they build is important to the Hayden Homes owners and staff.

“We really like to partner with tons of nonprofits in the different regions that we build,” she said. “We do focus on youth, we focus on housing, we focus on food, your essential needs. We think those are the foundation of a strong community.”

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at [email protected].