Whats the water like at portage lakes? (Akron, Franklin: homes, transfer)

[coton4u]

We are relocating to the Akron area from Missouri. Have been looking at Copley, etc. but am interested in portage lakes. My realtor says the water is dirty and too many bars. We aren't retired but kids are all gone. Think it would be fun to live on the lake so when our kids visit there is something to do. So what's it really like living on the lake. Would our kids/friends kids want to swim in the water? Would the traffic on the lake drive us crazy? What happens in the winter? does the lake freeze - is there anything to do in the winter? Is the commute to Akron and/or shopping too far? I'd appreciate any and all comments. Am going out to look around next week. Thanks

[5Lakes]

Portage Lakes is nice. It used to be kind of hillbilly around there, but since the 90's more upscale people have moved to the area. There are many nice homes right on the lakes.

As far as bars go, it should not be an issue unless you live right next to one on them. Really, there not not that many bars and it is far from a big party area. Most of the streets around there are going to be quiet, although if you live right on the water you will get noise from motor boats and wave runners.

Never really noticed the water being particularly dirty and the lakes will freeze over during the winter. I used to go ice fishing there, and if the fish were not biting we would walk across the frozen lake to one of the bars LOL. We could leave our ice shed unattended and nobody would mess with it.

I would definitely pick Portage Lakes over Copley. It has the lake factor, seems more relaxing, and has more of a community feel with character. Copley is being over run with generic sprawl and traffic.

[coton4u]

Thank you so much for the info! I'm not even there yet but I really like the idea of living on the lake - we have always enjoyed camping and being outdoors. Also, I really like the "draw" of the lake for my adult kids. It might seem like a great idea to visit us more often if they had something to do and I am well aware that lake water is much different than a river water. I'm originally from No. Calif. and grew up swimming on the Feather River. I loved it. Although, we used to camp at Lake Almanor which is a man made lake in the Sierra Nevada Mtns, and as more people moved up there the water became kinda "greasy" b/c of the boats/ski jets. Is there a problem like that with the Portage Lakes?

[htlong]

portage lakes are not dirty they have gotten infected with mussels that were brought into the great lakes from ocean boats then transfered here by pleasure boats that were in lake Erie and now are in portage lakes. the mussels clean all of the dirt and crud from the water and make it crystal clear, so clear one can see the bottom in many places ,but this allows the sun light which causes the lake grass to flourish so jet boats have problems clogging if they get to shallow.
there are many nice homes which are selling cheap. I moved back to Akron in retirement and I choose Coventry twp. there is not any town named portage lakes it consist of communities the city of green ,New Franklin ,and Coventry.
Yes the lakes freeze over but I hope to never see them again I head south for winter . but the summers out here in the lakes cant be beat no hot humid summers ( a few in Aug.)

Its great to either jump in the boat or drop it in the water and cruise over to one of the restaurants to eat, there are a few bars left on the lakes but so many have been forced to close do to suburban sprawl,on weekends after dinner you can choose to cruise over to one of the bars that offer live bands .

in my opinion it is the biggest secret in N.E. Ohio I couldn't handle life without the water anymore.

[htlong]

The portage lakes are also man made (except for two turkeyfoot and long lake) they were created to supply water for the canal locks I believe 95% of the canal locks are in summit county. after the canal was closed do to a flood in 1913 (and the rr) they lakes supplied water to the rubber factories to cool and power their machinery.
The roads in the northern part of the lakes serve as the damns portage lakes drive is actually one big damn the entire length of the road.

[coton4u]

Thanks for the history! Also, we love to listen to music so that would be fun to do. Guess if we do get a place there we will have to buy a boat

[htlong]

keep us updated........I forgot to mention Pav's creamery it makes old fashion custard and after diner a stop at Pavs for desert is a real treat. most people in the lakes take the area for granted and dont realize what a great place it is to live. for me its like a vacation everyday.........but then again I'm retired and dont have to work anymore.
P.S. I think your realtor wants you to buy one of his homes in Copley, Copley is OK but it has little to offer other than a suburban mow your lawn on saturday,and run to montrose.....ahhhh montrose......one big cluster muck of box stores full of wanna be millionares.....I recommend the lakes hands down.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by htlong

keep us updated........I forgot to mention Pav's creamery it makes old fashion custard and after diner a stop at Pavs for desert is a real treat. most people in the lakes take the area for granted and dont realize what a great place it is to live. for me its like a vacation everyday.........but then again I'm retired and dont have to work anymore.
P.S. I think your realtor wants you to buy one of his homes in Copley, Copley is OK but it has little to offer other than a suburban mow your lawn on saturday,and run to montrose.....ahhhh montrose......one big cluster muck of box stores full of wanna be millionares.....I recommend the lakes hands down.

Portage Lakes isn't on my side of town but from what you've said (and what I think you mean) htlong is probably right. If you like nature, lakes, boating, etc. but still want to have ready access to the run of the mill suburban stuff (Target, Wal-Mart, etc. is probably tops 5 miles away on Arlington) Portage Lakes is probably the way to go. If that's what you're attracted to I think you'll find Copley to be a let down - as htlong said it's much further along the sprawl timeline - tons of sprawl, mcmansions, etc., and true, kind of generic. There are nice metroparks out that way but there's no comparison as far as being able to live on the lakes like in the area around Portage Lakes. Everyone has things they are willing to live with, be it bad traffic, sprawl, occasional crime, whatever (generically speaking, I'm not commenting on PL), if the neighborhood has what they want, so I wouldn't let a few crappy bars get in your way. And, again, as htlong says, it's been getting cleaner, nicer, and yes, more upscale, as the years progress.

And as far as the water being dirty, it's no worse than any other recreational-use lake. That's BS in my opinion. (And that means something coming from me, I don't even like that end of town - personal preference ).

[CityGrrl77]

I also vote for Portage Lakes!

[bigjude44]

portage lakes are fine water could be better but fine for boating lots of bars but like they say if youdon't like don't go there