The Lake Panorama Dog Park has become a destination where friendships are forged, tails wag nonstop and a community’s vision comes to life.

By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

In the 2025 Best of Guthrie County poll, the Lake Panorama dog park ranked first as the best place to take your dog. 

For two years, Jeff Betts’ daily routine was taking two dogs to the park early each morning before work, regardless of the season. This is what it looked like with his dog, Otto, in late November last year. 

The park opened June 10, 2022, and is located at the corner of Sage Trail and RV Road near the east campground.  

In a survey conducted this spring by the Lake Panorama Association, 49 respondents said they use the dog park, which is open daily during daylight hours. 

The park features a 6-foot-high chain-link fence enclosing an area measuring 400 feet by 150 feet. There are two sections — one for small dogs and one for large dogs. Once inside the main gate, visitors can enter either the large- or small-dog area.

Each section includes three shade trees, a picnic table, a bench, two dog waste bag dispensers, a water bowl and a receptacle for pet waste. The water bowls are activated by pushing a button on the side. Water drains after about 90 seconds to prevent standing water.

A 5-foot-wide crushed-rock walking path runs along the fence line and serves as a weed barrier. A small gravel parking lot is adjacent to the park. 

THE BEGINNING 

The idea of a dog park on LPA property was discussed off and on for nearly a decade. 

In April 2019, Friends of Lake Panorama conducted a survey to gather input from LPA members on possible future projects. After the survey results were tabulated, the Friends board approved several action items. 

One involved exploring the development of a dog park on LPA property. Although a dog park did not rank as highly as other projects, it received strong support from a segment of the membership. The Friends board recruited volunteers to serve on a task force to study possible locations, design, costs and operating rules.

By early September 2019, a task force had been assembled, with Julie Tibbles as chair. 

“I wanted to help guide the task force because I really believe in having a nice, safe place for dogs in our community. Our narrow roads are not the safest to walk our dogs. Plus, dogs love to socialize,” she says.

At the time, Julie and Jim Tibbles had a Labrador named Ozzie.

“Sadly, it wasn’t done in time for him to use it very many times,” she says. “Now I take my granddogs, Olive and Pepper, there. They love all the new scents to investigate.”

As part of its research, the task force conducted a 15-question online survey conducted in November 2019. About 100 people responded with 75 people saying they and their guests would use a dog park. 

At its June 2020 meeting, the Friends board received the task force’s report and unanimously voted to endorse the project and advance it to the LPA board. The LPA board gave final approval at its August meeting. 

FUNDRAISING

In September 2020, Friends of Lake Panorama launched a $50,000 fundraiser for a dog park. 

A volunteer committee was formed to help raise the needed funds. During the next year, volunteers held four special events that generated nearly $14,000 for the dog park. 

By Dec. 1, donations had reached $19,000. By Jan. 1, they totaled $30,000. By late July when the 2021 Beach Ball was held, the campaign had raised $45,000. The Friends board allocated $5,000 of Beach Ball proceeds to the dog park. 

Construction began in September 2021, and the gates opened in June 2022. Another $4,500 raised at the 2022 Beach Ball was used to purchase benches and trees for the dog park. 

Jan Reinicke, president of the Friends board, said raising the needed $50,000 in less than a year was possible because of the many volunteers who supported the effort. 

“The members of the dog park task force took a very high-profile role once the project was approved,” she says. “What resulted was a group of people who recruited other dog lovers to the cause. It demonstrates what a small group of committed people with some well-defined goals can accomplish to make their community a better place for them and their furry friends.”

Learn more about some of the many dogs and owners who spend time together at the Lake Panorama dog park.  

Ann and Mike Appleseth

Ann and Mike Appleseth were early advocates for a dog park at Lake Panorama. Ann served on the task force that developed the proposal for this new amenity. 

“We’ve lived at Lake Panorama since June 1999, and we’ve always had at least two dogs. As much as we love walking them, it’s not always practical when there is a lot of traffic, poor weather conditions or when you don’t want to deal with the unexpected, such as deer, rabbits or fox wandering out from a ravine,” Ann says. 

The couple’s two current dogs are Lucy, a 10-year-old black Lab, and Leo, 14, a Maltese mix. They also have three “granddogs” that visit and enjoy the park.

“We use the park year-round anywhere from two to 10 times each month, depending on work schedules and weather,” Ann says. “You’ll see us there frequently if we are pet sitting our kids’ dogs, as it is not possible to safely walk that many at once.”

“We appreciate the waste bags, waste bag receptacles and water fountains,” she says. “I also like that there are two separate areas so if we need to have a little more control, we can usually take one side to ensure everyone is comfortable.”

Ann says, like any new project, the Lake Panorama Dog Park had both supporters and detractors in the beginning. 

“We found out quickly that people who love their dogs were quite supportive and looking for a safe environment for their pets,” she says. “It’s great to see the park being used and to meet new people and their dogs who are trying it out for the first or 20^th time.” 

Jeff and Michele Betts

Jeff and Michele have a Lake Panorama home not far from the dog park. For two years, Jeff’s daily routine was taking their two dogs to the park early each morning before work, regardless of the season.

“They looked forward to it every morning and wouldn’t let him miss a day,” Michele says. “The sunrises are beautiful out there.” 

The couple lost Scout to lymphoma last October. Otto, now 11, has severe arthritis and can’t run as hard these days, so the family doesn’t visit the park as often. 

“We sure enjoyed it for them the past couple years,” Michele says. 

Janis and Dale Hochreiter

Janis and Dale Hochreiter helped with early dog park fundraising events, where their Newfoundland, George, was a featured attraction. Once the park opened, George was a frequent park visitor until his death a year ago. 

The couple now enjoys the park with three dogs: Arlo, a 10-year-old English cream retriever; Walter, a 5-year-old Great Pyrenees; and Rosie, an 8-month-old mini goldendoodle. Janis says all three dogs get excited when they realize they’re going to the park.

“We come once a week or so,” she says. “All three play well by themselves, but they also like to meet other dogs. We encourage more dog parents to bring their dogs to the park. It’s a wide-open area where the dogs can run, fetch, chase each other. We’re really lucky to have this place.”     

Traci Kauffman

Traci Kauffman was one of several volunteers who helped with events to raise money for the dog park. She also made a donation in memory of her dog, Ozzie. 

She and her current dogs, Winston and Javy, live on the west side of Lake Panorama. The 7-year-old mini schnauzers have been with her since they were 8 weeks old. 

The trio visits the dog park a couple times each week.

“My boys love all the smells and freedom to run,” Kauffman says. “I use the gravel around the fence line as a walking track. They end up following me around, and we all get some exercise in. We go on a lot of walks in our neighborhood, and I worry they get bored with it. I really enjoy taking them to the dog park for something different.”

Kauffman says her dogs know exactly where they’re going. 

“Every time I ask them if they’d like to go to the dog park, they get very excited and run to the door and make all those excited dog sounds,” she says. 

Mike and Jennifer Krysa

Mike and Jennifer Krysa live on Panorama Terrace with their two golden retrievers. Duke is 8, and River is 5. Their daughter also has a golden retriever, Chief, 3, that often visits. 

“We love this park,” Mike says. “We come almost daily. The dogs love to run, chase balls, meet other dogs. We go to our home in Florida in the winter, and there isn’t a dog park in our area. We and the dogs really miss this when we’re gone. We’re so happy to have the Lake Panorama dog park here.” 

Mike says he and the dogs also enjoy the recreational trails on the south shore. 

Steve and Danielle Navarro 

Steve and Danielle Navarro were early supporters of the dog park. They made a personal donation and participated in every fundraiser.

Their bernedoodle, Cash, was just a puppy when fundraising began. He’s now 5 years old.

“We knew Cash would love an area to run and play,” Danielle Navarro says. “And we knew there were many dogs large and small in our community who would also enjoy a play area. We visit at least twice weekly year-round. Cash loves running in both sunshine and snow.”

The Navarros appreciate the separate areas for large and small dogs, the walking path around the perimeter, the waste bags stations, and the trees, picnic tables and benches.

“Cash loves the large space to run and chase balls,” Steve Navarro says. “He starts whining and getting excited the minute we turn the corner from Panorama Drive, knowing where we are going. Our community is fortunate to have such a nice area for our dogs. Cash starts running as soon as he’s through the gate.”

Galen and Carol Redshaw

Galen and Carol Redshaw’s dog Bella is a shichon, commonly referred to as the “teddy bear” breed. She’s 2 years old and weighs 13 pounds. 

“Bella gets very excited when we turn down Sage Trail and are heading to the dog park. She loves to run and chase balls,” Galen says. “She also enjoys playing ‘catch me if you can’ with other dogs. It’s been fun to meet other dogs and people there.”

Except during the hottest part of the summer, the family visits the dog park several times each week.

“I love going there with her. She can play while I put in some time walking around the perimeter of the fenced-in area,” he says. “It’s a safe place for us to go where I can let her off leash and she can enjoy freedom in the outdoors. It also allows her to get some good exercise while I get some of my own.” 

 

Carmen Siers and Jon Groom

Mayhem is an 8-year-old boxer-pug mix. His owner, Carmen Siers, has had him since he was 6 weeks old. 

“I had his name picked out before I ever saw him,” she says. “I got the idea from those insurance commercials where the main character is always talking about mayhem. When I saw photos of this guy, I thought he fit the name pretty well.” 

Carmen and Mayhem moved to Lake Panorama four years ago to be with her life partner, Jon Groom. They settled into Jon’s parents’ home on McDermott Lane, and soon discovered the nearby dog park, which they visit several times each week. 

“He loves it,” Carmen says. “We can’t say the words ‘dog park’ without him getting very hyper and wanting to go immediately. He is a little dog with short legs, but he loves meeting big dogs at the park. Jon and I have enjoyed meeting people and their dogs there. It’s nice to be around other dog lovers.”  

Jim and Mary Theisen

When Jim and Mary Theisen made an early donation to the dog park, they did so in honor of Buttons, Kia and Nora. All three are English Cocker Spaniels. 

“Kia enjoyed the lake and the dog park very much. It was one of her favorite places,” Jim says. “Buttons never made it to the lake. He would have enjoyed the laidback vibe.”

Nora belongs to the couple’s daughter, Laura. 

“Laura and Nora were living in California, until Laura took a job dancing for Tokyo Disney,” Jim says. “Nora moved in with us for the past year-and-a-half. Laura recently moved back from Japan, and they now split time between the lake and Omaha.”

Another Theisen granddog is Luna, a black Lab belonging to daughter Grace, who lives in Omaha with her husband. Both are nurses. 

“Since Laura and Grace both live in Omaha now, we watch the dogs throughout the year when the girls are busy or traveling,” Jim says. “Luna is our chuck-it gal and will chase the ball until she drops. Nora is our investigator and sniffs the entire park. They both love a golf cart ride to the dog park and can hardly contain themselves when they know that’s where we’re going.”

The Theisens say they appreciate the large, fenced area that allows the dogs to run freely. In the summer months they like having water accessible. 

Kirk and Lori VanKirk

Kirk and Lori VanKirk were among the 86 donors who helped make the dog park possible. They have two dogs: Macchi, a shih tzu, and Lizzy, a black Lab. Both are 11 years old. 

“We use the dog park four to five times a week,” Kirk says. “Our dogs love it. Once we start down the gravel to the park, they realize where we are going and both start to whine.”

Kirk says it’s nice the park has two areas for dogs of different sizes. 

“It is enjoyable to talk to the other folks that are at the park with their dogs,” he says. “It has been a good way to meet people. I think the dog park is a great asset for the Lake Panorama Association.”

Christopher and Jaimie Waddle

The Waddle family moved to a home on the west side of Lake Panorama in July 2020, just a few months before fundraising for the dog park began. 

“We moved here from Phoenix where we were used to having a dog park nearby,” Jaimie Waddle says. “We chose to donate to the park here because we knew it would be a good amenity for the community. Dog parks give both dogs and their owners opportunities to socialize.” 

Dusty, an 11-year-old goldendoodle, no longer visits the dog park as often as when he was younger but still makes occasional trips. 

“It gives him a chance to roam,” Jaimie says. “We like the rock walking path, and having the water bowls available is a nice feature.”  

 

Dan and Gretchen Wilhelmi

Gretchen and Dan Wilhelmi helped make the dog park possible with a donation. Their two dogs, Rosie, a 6-year-old English setter, and Daisy, a 3-year-old shih tzu-bichon mix, enjoy running and playing together at the park.

“It’s nice to bring them here so they can run and play on their own,” Gretchen says. “Having the fenced area makes it easy for them to be off leash without worrying about them running away.”

Wilhelmi says she appreciates the water bowls, the basket of toys for playing fetch, and the readily available pet waste bags. 

What does she think Rosie and Daisy enjoy most? 

“The smell of so many other dogs,” she says.  

 

Jolene Wright 

Jolene Wright and her late husband, Neil, were early donors who helped make the Lake Panorama dog park a reality. 

Their Yorkshire terrier, Phoebe, was one of the first dogs to visit the park when it opened in 2022.

Back then, she liked to run and play. Now 13, Phoebe prefers to walk around exploring where other dogs have been. Sometimes she simply lies in the grass and enjoys the sunshine or sits on a bench with Jolene. 

The Lake Panorama Dog Park was built for dogs, but its greatest success may be what it has done for people. What started as an idea shared by a handful of volunteers became a community-wide effort fueled by donations, fundraisers and countless hours of work. Today, every wagging tail, game of fetch and conversation between neighbors is a reminder that the project accomplished exactly what its supporters hoped it would. It gave dogs a safe place to run, owners a place to gather and Lake Panorama another reason to be proud to call this community home. Sometimes the best community investments are measured not in dollars, but in muddy paws, happy barks and the smiles that greet visitors every time the gate swings open.