At its July 25 meeting, the Lake Panorama Association board of directors approved a plan presented by Friends of Lake Panorama for new low-impact recreational amenities on the lake’s south shore. These will be in addition to the trails project already underway.
A nine-hole disc golf course is part of the approved plan. Each hole will include a concrete tee pad and chained basket target. Participants will bring their own discs. A sign will include rules, list of donors and a course map, and be located near the first tee. John Worth, an LPA member who in 2019 volunteered to design a disc golf course for Lake Panorama, will work with LPA and Friends staff on this project.
Another project in the approved plan is the addition of up to four backless benches along the Lake Panorama trail system. Two benches will be tucked into the timber along the shoreline section of the walking trail, providing great lake views. Another two benches will be placed along the open sections of the trail system above the lake. These will provide views of the Lake Panorama dam, and the native plants that cover 30 acres of land enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program Pollinator Habitat Initiative.
As people leave the south shore parking lot, using a walk-through gate to enter the recreation area, there will be a welcome sign with information about the Lake Panorama trails system. The approved plan includes a concrete slab nearby for a single picnic table, plus a wooden structure with four corner posts and metal roof.
Finally, the plan calls for recruiting volunteers to build and install birdhouses in various locations in the timber and open areas. Over the past two months, private donors have contributed $11,000 for projects on the south shore. The Friends board plans to make up to $15,000 available from the 2023 Beach Ball for south shore projects, once cost estimates are finalized and budgets developed.
It's anticipated additional funds will be needed to complete these four new projects. Friends and LPA staff are working together to finalize design and installation plans, and a fundraising campaign will begin this fall. New amenities will be completed as Friends has enough money to cover all costs.