Clermont Stormwater Project Will Add Natural Park to Waterfront Landscape

Clermont officials are preparing to launch an elaborate $8.6 million effort to consolidate many of the downtown area's stormwater retention areas into one man-made pond that will be cleverly disguised as a park with waterfalls, observation towers, boardwalks and a meandering stream.

Clermont Director of Economic Development Shannon Schmidt said once Victory Pointe is completed, many of the areas now used at Waterfront Park for drainage will be filled in.

“That will free up lakefront land for other things,” said Schmidt.

According to James Kinzler, Clermont’s director of capital planning, grants and projects, Victory Pointe’s impact to the downtown area will be great.

He said the eco-friendly project, at its core, is a functional stormwater wetlands filter that will channel highly filtered, clean water out into Lake Minneola.