CLERMONT, Fla. – A grassroots effort by a group of moms in Clermont to bring a community pool to their neighborhood is picking up steam.
"I don't want other people's children to drown because they don't have regular access to water," said Erin Acosta, a mom of three, who added the nearest public pool is 45 minutes from her home.
Acosta has joined a group of moms who are pushing for the city of Clermont to consider building a community pool and splash pad in the area.
"We just want to stay in our community, we don't want to have to keep going outside of our community to have fun with our kids and again taking those dollars with us," said Melinda Gill.
The moms put together a Facebook page that already has over 800 "likes" and their efforts are catching the attention of local business owners like Amanda Walsh, who owns Cheeser's Palace Cafe in downtown Clermont.
"This gives an opportunity for more growth for our restaurants, for our businesses and more exposure, for everybody is downtown and what we have to offer," she said.
Walsh is in favor of bringing a splash pad to the lot where the city's old auditorium is being torn down
Lake County Commissioner Sean Parks says the project could cost several million dollars.
"Right now we're not in a position to throw a bunch of money at it, we have to form our partnerships," he said.
Acosta tells Local 6 she hopes the entire community will get behind the idea.
"The more people hear about it- the better it will be, the more people will know, we want a pool in Clermont, hopefully we can make it happen," she said.