The lot sits behind Bojangles, off Booker T. Washington Highway, next to the Refuge Collection Center where much of the Westlake area already drops off its recycling. Starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 20, that patch of ground becomes Lakewatch Dog Park, a fenced space where dogs can run off-leash. The Smith Mountain Eagle reports that the park will stay unlocked and follow Franklin County's park hours, which means dawn to dusk every day, year-round.
The county owns the park. The covered pavilion, the landscaping and most of the money behind the project came from neighbors, raised one donation and one fundraiser at a time. The Eagle credits the funding to donations and fundraisers organized by Recreational Development of Franklin County, or RDFC, a nonprofit that plans and develops local recreation spaces and community-driven projects.
Three Years From Proposal to Opening Day
The park took a while. Here is the timeline as the local paper has covered it:
- About three years ago: The park was first proposed for 145 Lakewatch Center Drive in Moneta, beside Bojangles and the recycling center.
- June 16: The Franklin County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding that set out who handles what in building and running the park.
- September 19: RDFC held its fourth annual Cow Pie Bingo fundraiser and raised more than in any year before.
- November 20, 11 a.m.: Soft opening.
- April: A larger grand opening ceremony is planned.
Five months from the board's vote to the gate opening is quick for a public project. The three years before that vote are where the volunteers did most of the work.
Who Covers What at Lakewatch
The June agreement split the duties clearly. As the Eagle summarized it in its notes from the June 16 board meeting, the county kept the property and the long-term responsibility, and RDFC took on fundraising and the finishing touches.
| Franklin County | Recreational Development of Franklin County | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Keeps ownership of the property | None |
| Construction | Supervises it | Adds landscaping, a seating pavilion and other amenities |
| Ongoing role | Runs and maintains the park | Leads fundraising with other volunteers and handles community outreach |
| Listed in the plan | Chain-link fence, benches, pet waste stations, a combination pet water fountain, sidewalks, trees, shrubs | Pavilion and landscaping enhancements |
The county estimated the project at $60,000, with maintenance at $13,600 a year. On those estimates, about four and a half years of upkeep would cost as much as building the park. The cost of a dog park keeps coming every year, and that bill sits with the county.
By opening day, the features the Eagle lists are a covered pavilion, agility equipment, water stations and ample parking. The county's plan describes the park as a public space where dog owners can socialize while their dogs play off-leash in a secure area. In a park that stays open in December, that covered pavilion is where people will stand while the dogs run.
RDFC member Tim Bird gave the Smith Mountain Eagle a short summary of the project:
"It's a premier, top-notch dog park."
He also credited the residents around the lake who gave their time and money, and Franklin County for its support. "People are amazingly generous," Bird told the paper. "We would also like to thank Franklin County for working with us."
The Calves That Helped Pay for It
One of RDFC's fundraisers is unlike anything else on the lake's calendar. According to the Eagle's coverage of this year's Cow Pie Bingo, the September 19 event at Hot Shots Bar & Grill raised $24,000, the most in its four-year history.
Here is how it works. A grid is split into 100 numbered squares, and calves are turned loose on it. The square where one of them does its business wins. This year, 99 tickets sold at $100 each, and the 100th went to a special drawing with $25 entries. This year's calves were named Minnie Moo and Moe. Charlene Jones, an at-large member of the RDFC committee, thanked Steve Manning of Manning Bros. Beef for supplying calves all four years. Minnie Moo came through for the first-place square. Moe went the whole three-hour limit without delivering, so organizers held a random drawing for second place.
The money supports RDFC's projects and area charities. Lakewatch Dog Park is on the group's project list, which makes an afternoon of watching calves wander a grid part of how a dog park in Moneta got its pavilion.
What Changes for a Dog Used to a Six-Foot Leash
The best way to see what the park adds is to compare it with the rules at the lake's best-known public outdoor space. Under Virginia State Parks' pet guidance, dated August 18, 2026, pets have to be confined or on a leash no longer than six feet, and supervised. Most trails welcome pets. Pets are not allowed in public facilities or on designated swimming beaches, though dogs can use some non-swimming shoreline areas on a leash and under control. For overnight stays, the same guidance allows pets in cabins for $20 per pet per night, with no extra pet charge at campgrounds.
Those rules suit a long walk. A dog that needs to sprint after a ball is better served at Lakewatch, where the fence does the work the leash does on a trail.
The two places complement each other. A trail morning on a six-foot leash and an afternoon at Lakewatch give a lake dog two different kinds of exercise, and the dog park's location in the Westlake commercial area puts it on the same drive as everyday errands.
Before the First Visit
A short checklist before you load the dog in the car:
- Rabies vaccination. Virginia Code § 3.2-6521 requires dogs and cats four months or older to have a current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian, or a licensed veterinary technician under a veterinarian's supervision. Owners have to produce the rabies certificate within a reasonable time when certain officers or public health officials ask for it.
- County dog license. Franklin County's Dog Licensing page is the official place to check licensing for your dog.
- Hours. Dawn to dusk, every day, all year. In late November dusk comes early, so after-work visits get short.
- Finding it. 145 Lakewatch Center Drive, behind Bojangles and beside the recycling center.
- Cleanup. The county's plan includes pet waste disposal stations, so bring bags and use them.
The vaccination and licensing notes above are general information, not legal advice. Your veterinarian and Franklin County can confirm what applies to your own dog.
If you'd like to say thanks, the April grand opening is the natural time, and RDFC's next fundraiser is the next.
A new public amenity close to home, especially one paid for by neighbors, is something worth keeping in mind as you think about your property. If you want to know how your Moneta home compares today, Debbie Shelton will prepare a free home valuation, and she's happy to talk about the Westlake area while you're at it.
