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Damion Dolney grew up sailing on Lake Erie with his family. When he left for college, lake life slipped away. Then he married Amanda in 2014, and the couple rediscovered that joy with a 17-foot powerboat on Chippewa Lake, not far from their Hinckley home.
Friends suggested trying Portage Lakes, so they rented a home and found the beaches, restaurants, bars and friendly people irresistible. “We loved having the boat in the backyard,” he says. So much so that they sold their home, acquired a couple of wakesurf boats and moved to PLX permanently in 2016. “The impetus of the move is the community’s feeling here and the amount of fun it is to live on the water,” Damion says.
Their 3,200-square-foot 1952 home was expanded in the ‘80s when a previous owner acquired the neighboring 1,350-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bath house as a guesthouse called the Mermaid Cottage.
The Dolneys have remodeled the entire property, starting with adding the covered lakeside pavilion and five docks for their wakesurf boats, kayaks and boating visitors. They added a mid-level pavilion with direct access from the home’s lower level and a third covered area that connects the home to the cottage and serves as a carport.
“It’s given us flexibility in any situation to enjoy Portage Lakes without hindrance,” Damion says of the changes he’s done largely himself with the help of contractor friends, from whom he learned construction. “We had a couple of parties this summer [with] 50 people all seated without bringing chairs. When you live in the Portage Lakes, it’s never two people that stop by — it’s 10.”
Under Cover: The lower dockside pavilion features a hip roof, which has four shorter downward sloping sides, to comply with Portage Lakes requirements for not obstructing views. It provides an additional neighbor-friendly benefit when the Dolneys host parties in the spot that has a complete sound system, satellite TV and pull-down projection screen. “It muffles the sound, holds [it] internally,” Damion says. “You could be watching a game, and 30 feet away, you can barely hear anything.”
Tylar Calhoun
Inside Out: The mid-level pavilion, built in 2018, features exposed timber framing and a wood-burning stove for year-round comfort. “It was our savior during COVID because it gave us an opportunity to see friends, stay warm, be outside and still have that social interaction.” When the Cleveland Browns were teasing a playoff run last winter, Damion and a friend devised detachable walls in six panels made of wood paneling with double-hung windows and a full-sized door to enclose the space for four seasons. With the wood-burning stove ablaze and the walls in place, Damion says it’s as cozy as an indoor living room, regardless of Ohio’s capricious weather.
Top Chef: Amanda gifted Damion a Blackstone 36-inch flattop grill for the mid-level pavilion, on which he makes everything from breakfast omelets to smash burgers. “I like being able to cook — completely covered — in the rain or snow,” Damion says. “That’s my favorite thing.” Amanda’s favorite part? Being away from passersby and simply enjoying a view of the East Reservoir.
