By Marisa Nuñez
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Ryan Walters got the idea for the new pavilion two springs ago when visiting Dom’s Park in the Chalco Hills Recreation Area.
“That pavilion over there had a birthday party, probably about 30 adults with the kids, and then the rain just came down,” Ryan said, pointing to the smaller pavilion near Dom’s Park. “They were squashed inside this pavilion like sardines. I mean, shoulder to shoulder.”
Ryan and Tiffany Walters lost their son Dominik “Dom” Walters in 2018 to cardiac arrest. In 2021, the Walters family, with the help of the Papio Natural Resources District, built Dom’s Park to honor him.
After more than eight years of unrelenting support from the community, the Walters family is giving back with a new pavilion.
“This exists because of tragedy, but we wanted to turn that tragedy into something positive,” Ryan Walters said.
Ryan’s parents, Doug and Rita Walters, died shortly after Dom.
Doug died in 2019, and Rita died four years later.
“The main plaque is in memory of my parents, so it’s dedicated to Nona and Pop Pop, who are Dom’s grandparents, and then each individual table has a plaque on as well,” Ryan said.
Six picnic tables under the pavilion are decorated with plaques that the Walters family gifted to their friends and family for supporting them throughout Dom, Rita and Doug’s deaths.
“When we were thinking about this entire project, we really wanted to find a way to give back to some of our friends and family who had also lost loved ones, and what better gift than we can give them to have other people wonder about them, to say their names and to wonder who they are,” Tiffany said.
The project was funded by the Dominik Walters Memorial Fund, which included donations that followed after Ryan’s parents died, and through Ryan’s parents’ estate.
“Anything that we do with the money that we receive is donations,” Tiffany said. “We want to make sure we’re serving, serving our community in whatever way we can, whether it’s building a pavilion or if it’s having small little events. We want to make sure we’re doing everything we can for our community.”
The pavilion is decked with personal touches. The exposed aggregate pedestal that holds the central plaque is for Doug.
“My dad was a mason until he retired at age 66,” Ryan said. “He loved exposed aggregate finish, and so that is a symbol specifically for him. He would call it permanent beauty.”
The picnic tables are a symbol for Rita.
“Then my mom just being able to be outside with the kids at this spot,” Ryan said, pointing to the playground. “She was here a lot, with [his kids], to be able to have her friend groups have dedicated picnic tables in her memory; it’s incredibly important to us, and it means a lot.”
Originally from rural Minnesota, the Walters Family first found the Chalco Hills Recreation Area in 2011. After having Dom, it was a place they frequented every Sunday.
The Walters both agreed that the playground, plaques and pavilion are all incredibly special to them, and they are happy to get to share their memories with the community.
“I think it’s amazing that a place that meant so much to us when Dom was alive and now the two of children, I mean, when we come out here on the weekends, this place is packed, so it means a lot to us to be able to share our love of this place with so many other families and community,” Tiffany said.
The Walters currently have no plans for additions to Dom’s Park, but said they will be making repairs before next spring.
“We kind of keep our antenna up always to look for new projects that we want to do,” Ryan said.
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