The idea for Breton Woods Park came from a Holland Home resident who noticed that people were not getting outside as much during the pandemic. Her original proposal was to donate a walking track on the plot of land now occupied by the park. Jerry Broek, Project Manager at Holland Home, spearheaded the initiative that eventually became Breton Woods Park, featuring walking paths, pickleball courts, bocce ball, a putting green, and a butterfly garden. And while it’s been a tremendous addition for residents, it’s also beneficial for the surrounding areas it was built on.
While officially, Holland Home built a park, what they really did was create a natural ecosystem. Partnering with the Plaster Creek Stewards, a group from Calvin University that works on restoring the Plaster Creek watershed, they created a self-sustaining environment. Native plants, grasses, and flowers that are allowed to grow wild were implemented throughout the park, creating a haven for wildlife like butterflies, birds, and bees. Through a grant, Breton Woods Park received 40+ native trees, which residents planted. In addition, the park's natural areas are very low-maintenance and don’t require fertilizing or mowing, saving time and money for Holland Home.
An off-grid solar power system powers the park, and all water from the site is managed on-site. Holland Home and the Plaster Creek Stewards engineered all ground services to direct any rainwater to a rain garden/retention pond filled with water-loving plants which absorb and hold water. If there is more water than the retention pond can hold, it will be slowly released into the Plaster Creek.
While this project is the first of its kind for Holland Home, with the success of Breton Woods Park, more sustainability initiatives are planned for the future.