DinkLife

Welcome to DinkLife! Today, let’s cool off with a trip back to a forgotten water park whose lazy river was actually patterned after a Disney World ride—Dover Lake Park.

Dover Lake Park was located in Sagamore Hills, Ohio, and opened on July 3, 1980. It cost $2 million to build on 240 acres of land by Mickey Dover, who had already opened Brandywine Ski Resort back in 1962. At the time, Dover Lake was Ohio’s very first water park and one of the largest to ever operate in the state. It featured three fiberglass water slides that were 375 feet long, dropped four stories, and gave riders a 22-second thrill ride at speeds up to 20 mph. The main attraction was a 500-foot lazy river called the Great, Lazy Water Experience, inspired by Disney’s River Country rafts. This lazy river flowed downhill with a series of waterfalls connecting 13 floating pools.

There was also a second rapids ride that was 700 feet long with only five pools, but it had much steeper drops. To reach it, you had to take a ski lift. If you remember this one, you’ll probably recall the rough floors—painted with a gritty, sandpaper-like surface for traction. While it helped you stay upright, it was infamous for ripping up your feet (and anything else that touched it at high speed), leaving many visitors with scrapes and cuts.

The park also featured a 12-acre spring-fed lake with a sandy beach. The changing rooms and snack bar were located inside the Brandywine ski lodge. Around the park, you could find picnic areas with tables and charcoal pits. In its first year, they built a large pavilion for special events and even a babysitting facility. The pavilion could accommodate up to 5,000 guests. They also added volleyball courts, a softball field, and horseshoe pits.

In 1984, Dover Lake added a $1 million, half-acre wave pool that could generate waves for 12 minutes straight, followed by 12 minutes of calm water. That same year, Geauga Lake introduced its wave pool, The Wave, but some visitors actually preferred Dover’s. Dover’s pool created 4-foot waves that came in continuous sets, while Geauga’s only made a single 6-foot wave every 45 seconds.

Also in 1984, Mickey Dover launched his first Oktoberfest at the park—and he went all out. The four-day event featured polka bands, local high school performers, and tons of food: over 100,000 bratwursts and knockwurst, 15,000 wienerschnitzels, and more than 23,000 gallons of beer were sold. On top of all that, the slides and wave pools stayed open—so you could get extra sloshed in more ways than one!

But trouble hit in 1986. Mickey Dover was cited for violating local zoning laws after cutting down trees and filling in a ravine. That same year, he sold 55 acres of the property to Ohio Water Parks for $1.9 million. He eventually sold Brandywine Ski Resort as well. In 1991, the park tried something new for Halloween—a haunted attraction called House of Fear 3. But even that wasn’t enough. A cold and rainy summer in 1992 led to poor attendance, and the park shut down that October.

Dover Lake had also become a sore spot for the local community. Neighbors complained about noise, litter, injuries, and even some crime from campers on the property. At the time of its closure, Ohio Water Parks was $1.5 million in debt, owed $83,396 in back taxes, and had a long list of unpaid bills. The company filed for bankruptcy in March 1993.

In 1994, the park went up for auction through Kiko. The slides and wave pool sat on a 55-acre plot, which auctioneers initially tried to start at $2 million—but there were no takers. They dropped the price to $650,000 with still no bids, then to $630,000, joking that the wave pool alone was worth more than that. Finally, someone bid $640,000, and Marc Glassman—the owner of Marc’s grocery stores—sealed the deal with a final bid of $650,000.

By 1987, Dover Lake had grown to a total of 10 water slides. In 1999, Marc Glassman submitted plans to install 19 adult amusement rides, including a 41-foot Ferris wheel and a Tilt-A-Whirl. However, the Summit County Planning Commission and township zoning board pushed back. The final compromise was a 5-acre kiddie park with 13 rides, including a small kiddie coaster.

The park quietly closed for good in 2006. No official reason was given, but rumors swirled that Glassman was dealing with lawsuits and sold the land for financial reasons. Eventually, Brandywine repurchased the property and repurposed the old rafting area next to the Outer Limits ski hill into a terrain park.

Do you remember Dover Lake Park? Did you lose some skin at Dover Lake Park? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Got any quirky history ideas from Summit County? We’d love to hear them. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like and subscribe for more captivating history content. Thanks for watching, and remember to get out there and explore!

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