DISC GOLF COURSE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE

The disc golf course on Lake Panorama’s south shore has been open for play since last November, yet additional work is being done this spring. The course is one part of a plan for low-impact recreational amenities developed by Friends of Lake Panorama and approved by the LPA board.

John Worth, an LPA member who in 2019 volunteered to design a disc golf course at Lake Panorama, created the course to fit on land nestled between two sections of the Lake Panorama walking trails system.

“Due to the type of area the course is built on, all pretty deep woods, it is a non-typical course,” Worth says. “All the holes are shorter than an average course. The guideline is 200 to 400 feet, but the holes on this course run from 150 to 300 feet. This type of course is referred to as a ‘technical’ course, which means distances aren’t as long, and fairways are tighter, so your aim needs to be good.”

The course features nine concrete tee pads, with nine metal basket targets. Worth recently installed tee box signs showing distance and layouts for each hole, plus hole sponsors, with one near each of the nine tee boxes. He also installed three “caution – flying discs” signs in locations where the walking trail and disc golf fairways are close together.

Signs soon will be installed near the first tee that include a course map, rules and other details. Also there will be a sign about UDisc, which is an app that lists more than 14,000 courses worldwide. Disc golfers use the UDisc app on their smart phones to keep score and navigate interactive course maps. The Lake Panorama course is listed on UDisc.

In early May, a chemical control for broadleaf weeds will be applied on the course fairways. Soon after, a seed mixture that is a blend of grasses and white clovers will be spread. This perennial mix is designed to quickly produce cover, and grow in lower quality soils and areas with low sunlight. The goal is to eliminate weeds in the fairways, improve the turf, and make the course fairways low maintenance.

Worth has plans for another improvement to the course. He has chosen secondary positions for baskets on four holes. This is typical on disc golf courses, where extra “anchors” are installed and the baskets can be moved to different locations. These additional basket locations were incorporated into the full course sign and individual tee signs. These optional locations could be available within the next couple of months.

Another part of the south shore recreation area plan yet to be completed is the addition of five benches. These are ready to be installed when conditions allow, with two along the shoreline portion of the trail and two along the meadow portion. A bench donated by Lana Leander and Ryan Gruhn will be located near the fifth tee box on the disc golf course. That hole is sponsored by Hawkeye Molding, a business the couple owns.

Nine tee box sponsors donated $1,000 each to Friends of Lake Panorama last fall to help with the cost of establishing the disc golf course. Each sponsor is recognized with a sign on a tee box. The nine sponsors, in order from one to nine, are Sunset Realty; State Farm, Robert Carr; Panora Fiber; OvaEasy; Hawkeye Molding; Tuggle & Cates Family, Joshua & Mariah Tuggle; Mindy Larsen Poldberg Family; Martin - Flanery Ace Run, Jeff & Maria Martin; and Lake Panorama Realty.

To get into the recreation area, there is a fenced driveway that begins at 5501 Chimra Road and leads to a parking lot with walk-through access. Beyond the shelter with picnic table are two brown markers; one points right to the first hole of the golf course, the other points left to the beginning of the trail system.

Two additional signs are on order, and will be installed as soon as these are received. One is a welcome sign that will be near the parking lot. It includes a graphic of Lake Panorama, history, donor recognition, emergency contact details and other information. The second sign will be installed at the beginning of the trail system. It includes a map of the trail system, trail option descriptions, and details on the native plants and wildlife along the trails.

The recreation area is open during daylight hours. Wheeled vehicles are prohibited. There are no trash receptacles, restrooms or running water; visitors should plan accordingly.

BLUEBIRD HOUSES ADDED TO SOUTH SHORE RECREATION AREA

A cooperative effort involving Panorama Schools, an LPA member and Friends of Lake Panorama led to the recent installation of 16 bluebird houses on Lake Panorama’s south shore.

Plans for low-impact recreational amenities on the south shore were developed over a two-year period by Friends of Lake Panorama and approved by the LPA board last summer. By the end of 2023, a disc golf course and trail system were ready for visitors. A small shelter and picnic table with a view of the main basin now are in place.

The plan also called for birdhouses throughout the recreation area. Steven Brannan, who has a home at Lake Panorama with his wife Rita, volunteered to build and donate bluebird houses for the south shore. Josh Arganbright gave Brannan the material.

“The birdhouses all are made of a composite material, so are low maintenance. It makes for cheap, affordable housing and I hope the birds like them,” Brannan says.

Mark Dorhout, Panorama middle school science teacher, offered to choose suitable birdhouse locations. Last fall, he enlisted the help of all 146 of his sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.

“We looked at prominent places on the trail, if there was some short grass nearby, the amount of tree cover, and proximity to an additional perch. The males like to have a spot near the nest so they can keep an eye on things,” Dorhout says.

Funds donated to Friends of Lake Panorama for the south shore were used to purchase seven-foot metal posts. On a sunny Sunday afternoon in mid-March, Dorhout enlisted the help of Brannan and three eighth grade students to install 16 posts and attach 16 birdhouses.

Dorhout says bluebird pairs usually produce three to six pale blue colored eggs. “They start nesting around the first week of April, and it can continue until late June and into July,” he says. “The female is involved in the nest building and 18 days of incubation. They both are involved in feeding the young. They usually have more than one brood each year. Two is normal, but pairs can have three.”

This bluebird house effort ties into a learning project Dorhout has conducted with his students for three years. The first year, all middle school students were involved in building 20 birdhouses, which were installed on school grounds.

In the last two years, Dorhout’s seventh grade students built a total of 105 birdhouses. These were sent home with students for installation, along with a guide to help them choose good locations, and how to do follow-up monitoring.

“It's a citizen science project,” Dorhout says. “Using these birdhouses, the students learn about invasive species, such as house sparrows and European starlings that will try to take over bluebird houses. They also learn about the biology of cavity nesters, do quality research and enjoy being outdoors.”

In March Dorhout built three birdhouses himself and installed those on posts in front of three elementary classrooms. These are located on the nearby prairie he and his students helped establish over the past few years.

Students who take home birdhouses are given a check sheet to complete every two weeks through the spring and early summer. The students make notes about whether the house is occupied, number of eggs, chicks hatched, and evidence of predators or unwanted birds and pests.

Dorhout and a couple of students will do those same regular checks for the 16 new birdhouses on the south shore, and the three recently added to the school prairie. He and his students also will clean out the houses annually.

Prior to the birdhouse project, Dorhout introduced his middle school students to Lake Panorama’s south shore as part of his outdoor education efforts.

“We have done some longer walks there, looked at lake species, birdwatched and gathered water samples to do some rudimentary water analysis,” he says. “It's been awesome to be able to incorporate outdoor education into our regular curriculum. Kids of this generation sometimes find it difficult to connect to the out-of-doors. With this program, they gain the benefits of, and appreciation for, the outdoors.”

Another part of the south shore recreation area plan is adding benches. Five benches are ready to be installed when conditions allow, with two along the shoreline portion of the trail and two along the meadow portion. Another bench, donated by Lana Leander and Ryan Gruhn, will be located near the fifth tee box on the disc golf course.

To get into the recreation area, there is a fenced driveway that begins at 5501 Chimra Road and leads to a parking lot with walk-through access. Beyond the shelter are two brown markers; one points right to the first hole of the golf course, the other points left to the beginning of the trail system.

The recreation area is open during daylight hours. Wheeled vehicles are prohibited. There are no trash receptacles, restrooms or running water; visitors should plan accordingly.

SOUTH SHORE RECREATIONAL AREA NOW OPEN

Both the disc golf course and the trail system on Lake Panorama’s south shore now are ready for visitors. The plan for these low-impact recreational amenities was developed by Friends of Lake Panorama and approved by the LPA board. 

A fenced driveway begins at 5501 Chimra Road and leads to a parking lot that allows walk-through access to the recreation area. A small shelter near the parking lot is in place; a picnic table will be added in the spring. Beyond the shelter are two markers, one points right to the first hole of the golf course, the other points left to the trail system.

The disc golf course features nine concrete tee pads, with nine metal basket targets. Tee box signs showing hole distance and layout, plus hole sponsors, will be in place next spring.

The Lake Panorama disc golf course now is listed on UDisc, which is an app that lists more than 14,000 courses worldwide. Disc golfers use the UDisc app on their smart phones to keep score and navigate interactive course maps.

The Lake Panorama trail system has brown fiberglass trail markers located at trail system junctions, marked on both sides with colored arrows. There are five trail options, each designated with a different color. Those who start at the trailhead and do the full loop to the shoreline and back up through the meadow area to return to the parking lot will walk two miles. Other trail options offer shorter distances.  

The recreation area is open during daylight hours. Wheeled vehicles are prohibited. There are no trash receptacles, restrooms or running water; visitors should plan accordingly. Members and their guests who have registered with the LPA can hunt deer on the south shore from Nov. 1 through Jan. 10. The area is restricted to bow hunting.

Next spring, 18 bluebird houses will be installed along the trails. If funds allow, four backless benches also will be installed along the trail, with two near the shoreline and two in the meadow area.

The estimated cost to develop this new recreational area is $35,000. Over the past two years, Friends of Lake Panorama has received $11,000 in private donations for projects on the south shore. Another $4,000 has been donated this fall. Some funds are available from the 2023 Beach Ball, and disc golf course tee box sponsors.

Additional donations are being sought. A welcome sign near the shelter will be added in the spring. It will include a Lake Panorama map, general information about the south shore recreation area, and a list of donors who have given $500 or more to this project by Dec. 31, 2023.

Tax-deductible donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends, PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donations also can be made through Venmo @Panorama-Friends, or by credit card at friendsoflakepanorama.org.

DISC GOLF COURSE NEARING COMPLETION

A nine-hole disc golf course on Lake Panorama’s south shore soon will be a reality. The course is one part of a package of low-impact recreational amenities developed by Friends of Lake Panorama and approved by the LPA board of directors at its July 25 meeting.

Building a disc golf course at Lake Panorama has been discussed for more than five years. In April 2019, the Friends board of directors conducted a survey to gather input from Lake Panorama Association members and help prioritize future projects. Ten possible projects were proposed for consideration.

As a result of that survey, the Friends board, in cooperation with the LPA, has completed several projects that ranked high on the survey. These include new playground equipment at Shady and Boulder beaches, Panorama West Nature Trail, dog park and a sports court at Sunset Beach.

The survey results also showed interest in a trail system on the south shore, and a disc golf course somewhere within the Lake Panorama community.

In the comments section of the survey, LPA member John Worth volunteered to design a nine-hole course for Lake Panorama, and help guide its construction. After meeting with the Friends board and LPA staff, he scouted several locations and found the south shore to be ideal.

“My interest in disc golf goes back to my high school days in Atlantic in the late 1970s when frisbees were common amongst the young crowd,” Worth says. “We used to practice our fancy throwing and catching skills in parking lots along the main drag for all to see. We heard people were using frisbees to play a golf game so we gave it a try in the local park. We laid out a few holes, using trees as targets, and I haven’t quit playing since.”

In 2007, one of Worth’s good friends became the Atlantic Park and Recreation director. “We were quick to start scheming how to get an official disc course in Atlantic,” Worth says. “Thanks to some very dedicated and persistent individuals, a new course was installed within the next two years. I was able to provide some input on the course layout and volunteered many hours to help install and groom the course.”

Worth and his wife Angie lived in Atlantic most of their lives, pursued their careers and raised three children. “As we became empty nesters and started thinking about retirement, we moved fulltime to Lake Panorama in 2016,” Worth says. “The lake is a very special place to us. We love the relaxing environment and have made many dear friends here. We also enjoy making memories with our three children and five grandchildren.”

Worth retired in January 2022 from a career in manufacturing, where he worked initially as an engineer and then in management. With their move to Lake Panorama, Angie Worth started a new career in real estate and is part owner of Sunset Realty.

Construction on the Lake Panorama disc golf course began Oct. 4. “The course is literally cut out through the wooded area on the east side of the south shore,” Worth says. “Each hole is a Par 3, bringing the total par for a round of nine holes to 27. The holes range in distance from 155 feet to 320 feet long.”

Though John Worth did much of the course design, he got some help from his son, Jesse Worth. “Jesse cut his disc golf teeth on the makeshift course we had in the Atlantic park,” Worth says. “When he headed to Iowa State in 2006, he discovered two 18-hole disc golf courses in Ames. That’s when Jesse and I switched our disc gear to the smaller diameter, official golfing discs. Jesse was very helpful in thinking through how a new course would best fit into the south shore area.”  

Jesse now lives in Ames with his wife Leah and their daughter, and works for Hawkeye Molding in Roland. On a visit to Lake Panorama in mid-October, he and his dad spent a sunny afternoon testing out the course.

“It was fairly surreal to experience the course for the first time,” Jesse says. “The mix of shots through nine holes play well and feel balanced. It’s exciting to think of the course really establishing itself in the coming years. I know it’s going to be well received by the community.”

Another experienced disc golfer played a practice round at the Lake Panorama disc golf course in October, before the tee boxes and baskets were installed. Josh Tuggle and his wife Mariah live in Bloomington, Minnesota. Mariah’s parents, Paul and Marcia Cates, have a house on Lake Panorama.

Tuggle grew up in Norwalk, attended Iowa State University, and graduated with a construction engineering degree. He works as a design manager for a company that builds utility scale solar plants across the country.

“My brother Ryan got me hooked on disc golf a few years ago, and I got Mariah into it as well,” Tuggle says. “I have played 120 courses in 21 states, but mainly in Minnesota and Iowa. I’m a member of the Professional Disc Golf Association, and now play at the highest level. The past few years, I’ve played in about 10 tournaments each year.”

Tuggle has followed the development of the Lake Panorama disc golf course. When tee box sponsors were being sought for each of the nine holes, he decided to sponsor the sixth hole. The sponsor sign on that hole will be “Tuggle & Cates Family.” 

What did Tuggle like about the course in his exploratory round? “The course has a variety of shots and fun lines,” he says. “It may be on the shorter side, but still is a great challenge with the wooded holes.”

Tuggle offered this advice to those who might be trying the sport for the first time, because of the Lake Panorama course. “It can be overwhelming to pick some discs as a beginner. I recommend going to a store and picking a nice putter and midrange that feel good in your hands,” he says. “Most people go after the drivers when picking some first discs, but it's better to start slow.”

The other eight tee box sponsors for the Lake Panorama disc golf course are: #1-Sunset Realty; #2-State Farm Insurance, Robert Carr; #3-Panora Fiber; #4-OvaEasy; #5-Hawkeye Molding; #7-Aaron & Mindy Poldberg Family; #8-Martin-Flanery Ace Run; and #9-Lake Panorama Realty.

John Worth has played more than 30 disc golf courses in Iowa, and a few out of state. “It’s such a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise,” he says. “There is a concrete tee pad on each hole, which is used to throw your first shot from. From there you simply throw your next shot from where your ‘drive’ or last shot landed. Keep going until you land your disc in the target, which is a metal wire basket that uses hanging chains to deflect the disc into the basket.” 

Worth encourages the interested and the curious to walk the course. “I think many will return with a disc in hand to give it a try,” Worth says. “You can use any flying disc you have at home. Once you are hooked, you will want to purchase official disc golfing discs. These come in three categories—drivers, midranges, putters—each intended for different throwing distances. Having one of each type is a great starting point, and are readily available at sporting goods stores.”

The course will be playable once tee pads are poured and baskets have been installed. Information on the opening date will be provided in the LPA Prompt and on the Friends of Lake Panorama Facebook page.

Signage won’t be in place until next spring. There will be a tee sign adjacent to each tee box showing the hole distance and layout, a hole sponsorship sign on each hole, and a large sign near the first tee box. The large sign will include a map of the disc golf course, and general information about the course. There also will be separate signs here for disc golf course rules, and the UDisc app.

Disc golfers use the UDisc app on their smart phones to keep score and navigate interactive maps of disc golf courses. UDisc, LLC, was co-founded in 2012 by Matt Krueger and Josh Lichti, two computer engineers who bonded over coursework and disc golf at Iowa State University. UDisc has grown from a hobby project to a tool that covers more than 14,000 courses worldwide.

Beyond the disc golf course, other portions of the Friends of Lake Panorama plans for the south shore also are progressing. A fenced driveway at the south end of Chimra Road and a parking lot that provides walk-through access to the recreation area is complete. A small shelter near the parking lot is in place, and where a picnic table will be added in the spring.

The Lake Panorama trail system with a variety of distances is complete. Those who start at the trailhead and do the full loop down to the shoreline and back up through the meadow area to return to the parking lot will have walked two miles. In addition, four places where the riprap contractor widened existing trails to get to the shoreline are offered as trail options.

Brown fiberglass trail markers have been installed at each junction of the trail system, and are marked on each side with colored arrows.

There are five trail options, each designated with a different color. The original two-mile loop is the “green” trail. People who start at the trailhead and choose the first option they reach, the “red” trail, will walk sixth-tenths of a mile. The other three options offer distances of 1.1 miles (blue), 1.6 miles (yellow), and 2 miles (orange). This final loop results in walking the same distance as the original loop, but the terrain and views provide a different experience. 

Next spring, benches and bluebird houses will be installed along the trails throughout the recreational area. Three large metal signs also will be in place by spring. One will be near the shelter and include a Lake Panorama map, general information about the south shore project, and a list of donors who give $500 or more to the project by Dec. 31, 2023. Other signs will be posted near the first hole of the disc golf course and the Lake Panorama trailhead.

The estimated cost of these recreational amenities is $35,000. Over the past two years, Friends has received $11,000 in private donations for projects on the south shore. Some funds also are available from the 2023 Beach Ball, and disc golf course tee box sponsors.

Tax-deductible donations for south shore projects can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends of Lake Panorama, PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donations also can be made through Venmo @Panorama-Friends, or by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.

DISC GOLF COURSE TAKING SHAPE ON SOUTH SHORE

Construction of a nine-hole disc golf course on Lake Panorama’s south shore began in early October. The course is one part of a package of low-impact recreational amenities developed by Friends of Lake Panorama and approved by the LPA board of directors at its July 25 meeting.

John Worth, an LPA member who in 2019 volunteered to design a disc golf course at Lake Panorama, is working with LPA and Friends staff on this project. He designed the course to fit on land that is nestled between two sections of the Lake Panorama walking trails system.

“Due to the type of area the course is being built on, all pretty deep woods, this will be a bit of a non-typical course,” Worth says. “First, all the holes are shorter than probably an average course. The guideline is 200 to 400 feet, but the holes on this course run from 150 to 300 feet. This type of course is called a ‘technical’ course, which means distances aren’t as long, and fairways are tighter, so your aim needs to be good.”

Each hole will include a concrete tee pad and chained basket target. Participants will bring their own discs. A sign near the first tee will include a course map, rules and other details.

To help finance the disc golf course, tee box sponsorships are available for a one-time donation of $1,000. Colored tee signs that are 9-inches by 12-inches will include the hole number, distance between the tee pad and basket, and a graphic of the fairway between those two points. Tee box sponsor signs will be 9-inches by 4-inches and mounted on the same metal posts as the tee signs.

Tee box sponsorships will go to the first nine businesses, families or individuals who agree to make a $1,000 donation by Dec. 31, 2023. Those interested in being a tee box sponsor can make arrangements by contacting Susan Thompson, 515-240-6536 or thomcomm@netins.net.

LAKE PANORAMA TRAIL SYSTEM

Construction on a fence that leads to a fenced parking lot was completed in early October. Wood was used at the entrance and surrounds the parking lot, with barbless wire used along the road to the parking lot. There is a walk-through gate to enter the recreation area. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the south shore beyond the parking lot. A gate at the west end of the road allows access by LPA staff.   

As users enter the recreation area from the parking lot, there will be a single picnic table on a concrete slab, plus a small shelter with four corner posts and metal roof. A welcome sign will be at this location, and include general rules, a list of south shore donors who give $500 or more, and directional arrows to the disc golf course, which will be to the right, and the beginning of the Lake Panorama trail system, which will be to the left.

A sign at the Lake Panorama trailhead will include specific information about the trail options and trail markers, plus a map. Visitors will be encouraged to snap a photo of the map to help them stay on the trail.

Those who do the full loop down to the shoreline and back up through the meadow area to return to the parking lot will have walked two miles. In addition, four places where the riprap contractor widened existing trails to get to the shoreline will be offered as trail options.

People who start at the trailhead and choose the first option will walk sixth-tenths of a mile. The other three options offer distances of 1.1 mile, 1.6 miles, and 2 miles. This final loop results in walking the same distance as the original loop, but the terrain and views provide a different experience. 

Brown fiberglass trail markers will be installed at each “junction” of the trail system, along with arrows and distances back to the trailhead. It’s hoped these trail markers can be installed yet this fall. The larger metal signs planned for the shelter and starting points for disc golf and the trails will be finalized over the winter.

PANORAMA CROSS COUNTRY TRAILS

The Panorama Schools cross country trails use some of the same sections as the Lake Panorama trail system, so blue fiberglass trail markers can be seen in some areas. The cross country trails begin and end on school property, with all bus and spectator parking and bathroom facilities on school property. For the middle school, a distance of two miles has been mapped. For the high school, the trail is 3.1 miles.

On Sept. 14, Panorama Schools hosted its first cross country meet on the new trail, with 23 schools and 650 runners involved. Greg Thompson is the Panorama Schools head cross country coach.

“We received many compliments on the scenery the course provides. Many runners appreciated having boats out on the lake and supporting them by honking their horns and ringing cowbells,” Thompson says. “Very few cross country courses are near a body of water; those that are near water are usually a small pond or river. The lake shore also made it much cooler for the runners.”

Thompson says the course had some rough spots and washouts from rain earlier in the summer on the parts that don't have much grass growing yet. “The dry, hot weather took a toll on the grass and made the ground very hard,” he says. “We feel we can improve those areas over the next year or so with some landscaping work and more moisture. There are going to be growing pains when developing a new cross country course, but this was a very positive, initial meet.”

Thompson says the combination of the trails for the runners and the Lake Panorama trails that go to the lake shore worked well together. “I saw spectators on the shore by each of the side trails,” he says. “I think as we work together to develop the trail systems, this will be a premiere hiking destination for LPA members, and teams will want to come compete in our meets.”  

BENCHES AND BIRDHOUSES  

Two more components of the Friends of Lake Panorama plans for low-impact recreational amenities on the south shore are benches and birdhouses. Four backless benches will be placed along the Lake Panorama trail system. Two will be tucked into the timber along the shoreline section of the walking trail to provide 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.

Fifteen bluebird houses have been built and donated by Steve Brannan to be placed along trails on the south shore. Mark Dorhout, Panorama Schools science teacher, has agreed to help choose locations for the birdhouses, and may get his middle school students involved in additional birdhouse placements.

HOW TO DONATE

The estimated cost of these recreational amenities—Lake Panorama trail system, disc golf course, fencing and parking, four benches, birdhouses, small picnic shelter, signage—is $35,000. Over the past two years, Friends of Lake Panorama has received $11,000 in private donations for projects on the south shore. Some funds also are available from the 2023 Beach Ball.

Additional donations for these south shore amenities are being sought. While donations of all sizes are appreciated, those who give $500 or more by Dec. 31, 2023, will be recognized on the welcome sign on the south shore.

Tax-deductible donations to support recreational enhancements on the south shore can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends of Lake Panorama, PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donations also can be made through Venmo @Panorama-Friends, or by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.

SOUTH SHORE TRAILS SYSTEM TAKING SHAPE

The seeds for low-impact recreational amenities on Lake Panorama’s south shore were planted in April 2019, when Friends of Lake Panorama surveyed LPA members for input on projects to consider. Walking trails and disc golf were projects of interest, with the south shore considered a good location. At the LPA board of directors June 2021 meeting, Friends received permission to develop a recreational concept for the south shore.

At its August 2022 meeting, the board agreed Friends could work on improvements to existing trails on the south shore. Permission also was given to work with the Panorama Community Schools to incorporate a cross-country course into the Lake Panorama trails system.

Good progress is being made. While some preliminary planning took place in fall 2022, most of the effort was put on hold until the rip rap construction was complete in spring 2023, which led to new trail opportunities. People have been walking trails on the south shore for years, but only a few were aware of the existence and availability of the trails.

Now a fenced parking lot is planned, that will allow people to walk through a gate near where the LPA trail system begins and ends. A trailhead sign will include general details about the south shore project, rules, and specific information about the trail options and trail markers, including a map.

Those who do the full loop down to the shoreline and back up through the meadow area to return to the parking lot will have walked two miles. In addition, four places where the riprap contractor widened existing trails to get to the shoreline will be offered as trail options.

People who start at the trailhead and choose the first option will walk just sixth-tenths of a mile. The other three options offer distances of 1.1 mile, 1.6 miles, and 2 miles. This final loop results in walking the same distance as the original loop, but the terrain and views provide a different experience.

Fiberglass trail markers, similar to the blue 911 address markers used in Guthrie County, will be purchased in a brown color. These will be placed at each junction of the trail system, along with arrows and distances back to the trailhead.

The cross country trails begin and end on school property, with all bus and spectator parking and bathroom facilities on school property. For the middle school, a distance of two miles has been mapped. For the high school, the trail is 3.1 miles.

Access to the south shore is near the northeast corner of the school property. The school hired a contractor to clear trees to make that entrance possible. The school also purchased a roller and a landscape rake to pull behind a small utility tractor to smooth out rough areas of the trail; has committed to adding rock and mulch in a few marshy areas; and has committed to keeping the trails mowed and cleared throughout the year.

Greg Randel is director of transportation and oversees grounds at Panorama Community School Distrct. “We have been mowing a trail on school grounds for a long time for the cross country team to practice, and it has been a dream to one day have the entire course here. When LPA started the south shoreline project, I contacted John Rutledge to see if having a portion of our trails on LPA property could be an option. It has taken off since then with a lot of help from LPA, Friends of Lake Panorama and Panorama schools,” Randel says.

Greg Thompson is beginning his 30th year at Panorama Schools this fall. Over the years he has taught many math courses and coached many sports. Since 1998, he has been the head girls track and field coach, and since fall of 1999, the head cross country coach. He and his wife, Kelly, have had a home at Lake Panorama since February 2000.

“It became clear to me about three years ago that using the Panorama West Golf Course area was becoming more difficult each year to manage the cross country course,” Thompson says. “Plus, the traffic associated with hosting races was becoming too large for the area. We received many compliments on the west course, so it was a difficult decision to begin looking for a new course.”

Yet Thompson says the benefits of moving the cross country trail to an area that incorporates both school and LPA property are many.

“It will be easier for spectators to view the race. On the west course, most spectators only had easy access to the start and finish of the race,” he says. “On this new course, there should be many areas of a race that are easily accessible to spectators. Parking also will be easier, since we can use the school parking facilities for team vehicles and for spectators.”

Thompson says it will be much more efficient to set up and manage cross country meets with the proximity to the school and maintenance equipment; and timers and meet managers will have accessibility to the press box, electricity, a sound system and use of the scoreboard and video board.

The starting line for all races will be near the elementary school just behind Little Panther Daycare. From there, the runners will use the Panorama School Elementary Outdoor Classroom area to access the south shore. “Starting here will allow teams to set up and have a home base near the starting line and in an area that doesn't damage the race trails or a golf course,” Thompson says.

Runners will return to school grounds and run south alongside the baseball complex and finish on the home side straight away of the track. “Finishing on the track will allow easy access to the bleachers and bathrooms for both athletes and spectators,” Thompson says. “High school runners will run along the shore and around the prairie space. Junior high runners will run around the prairie space. Only existing trails will be used, and existing wooded areas and natural prairie spaces will be preserved.”

Teams will practice on the course once or twice a week. Two races are scheduled this fall. The first race Sept. 14 will have over 20 schools participating. The second will be the conference tournament Oct. 12. A third meet might happen Oct. 19 and include 20 schools, if the state athletic associations allow Panorama to be a host site for a state qualifying meet.

Thompson says the cooperation between the school, Friends of Lake Panorama and the LPA has been wonderful. “I have been asked many times why I haven't moved to a bigger school,” he says. “The main reason is I love the family atmosphere of a small town community. This experience has been another piece of evidence that living and working in a small town like Panora and Lake Panorama creates a sense of pride and community.”

Thompson says he thinks in the next two to three years, this will be one of the better true cross country courses in the state. “Many of our current races are on golf courses, not through wooded areas and prairies,” he says. “This course allows hikers, walkers and runners to be alongside the lake shore for slightly more than a mile with spectacular views of the lake and the surrounding shores. We will continue to improve the trail system and keep it maintained for everyone to enjoy.”

LPA BOARD APPROVES ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL AMENITIES ON SOUTH SHORE

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.

LPA BOARD APPROVES PLANS FOR TRAILS ON SOUTH SHORE

At its Aug. 30 meeting, the LPA board approved a proposal from Friends of Lake Panorama that will make improvements to existing trails on the south shore of Lake Panorama’s main basin.

The board also approved Friends and LPA staff working with Panorama Community Schools personnel to move the cross country team trail from Panorama West to the south shore. The school has committed funds to help improve the existing trail, and also provide ongoing maintenance assistance.

The cross country trail will begin on school property, continue onto the south shore for much of the course, and loop back to end on school property. All parking and restrooms for cross country meets will be on school property. This loop will be a total of 3.1 miles.

The south shore has several existing trail sections that will be combined into a single structure offering a variety of lengths and difficulty. Users will be able choose a combination of loops based on the total distance they want to walk.

Final details for the trail system will be developed after the south shore rip rap repair project is complete. That is expected to begin this fall and may continue into spring 2023.

Results of a survey about possible projects on the south shore were discussed, prior to board action on the trails. At its May meeting, the LPA board approved a proposal presented by Friends of Lake Panorama that included ideas for various recreational amenities that could be incorporated into the south shore. At its July meeting, the board asked LPA staff to conduct a survey to gather member input on key items included in the plan.

That survey was open for three weeks in August, and included a link to the Friends proposal. A total of 667 people responded to the survey. Questions about each of the projects included in the Friends proposal were asked, covering trails, disc golf, a small shelter house and a fishing dock.

The majority of respondents supported all projects mentioned. A question about a possible walking trail showed the most support, with more than 60 percent of respondents supporting this project, with another 20 percent neutral, and 17 percent opposed. A yes/no question about the Panorama cross country teams being able to use a trail on the south shore for practice and meets received 366 yes votes, 152 neutral votes and 144 no votes.

A final question gave respondents the opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions. It was agreed at the Aug. 30 board meeting that LPA staff and Friends representatives will continue to research options for a disc golf course and a dock on the south shore. Friends will return to a future LPA board meeting for further discussion on these topics.