Love and Joy in Midtown

Communities are rated on transportation options, home value, density, walkability, diversity, the local economy and about a thousand other things. I’ve never seen communities rated on love and joy. If they were, you’d defiantly check the love/joy rating of a community before deciding to live there. Right? Impossible to quantify joy and love, you’re thinking? Nope, it’s simple … measure it by the percentage of homes with pets.

Midtown Omaha’s love/joy rating would be off the charts. We’re bananas about our four-legged urbanites and the neighborhoods themselves reflects it. According to bringFido.com Omaha has four dog parks and only one of them is west of 72nd. Of the three dog parks in midtown (Hanscom, Memorial and Elmwood) only Hanscom Park’s dog park is leash free. The two-acre fenced-in area at Hanscom is divided into three sections; one for small dogs and two areas for dogs of all sizes. There’s a doggy-jowl level water fountain and the entrance is double-gated to lessen the chance of an unintended exit. The terrain is hilly and there are trees to provide shade. Bring balls, frisbees, plastic poop-bags and maybe some paper towels. The turf is worked hard at the dog park and can be muddy after it rains.

East midtown also offers several groomers, doggy daycare centers and pet supply shops. Wag on 24th and Howard is a favorite of pets who prefur locally-owned kibble purrrveyors (sorry, my cat made me do that).

In June of ’19 work began on Omaha’s fifth dog park. It’s found in Dewey Park which is super close to Midtown Crossing. Close only counts in horseshoes? That’s ok, Dewey Park also has a horseshoe court.