Over the past several months, many of you have followed the discussions regarding the deteriorating condition of our community boat ramp through HOA newsletters, Waterways Committee meetings, and neighborhood updates.

As mentioned in last week’s Isle of Catalina News Bulletin, we are now ready to begin the next step.

Today, we are officially launching the Clear Lake Access Preservation Project, a community initiative to repair and preserve the Isle of Catalina boat ramp for current and future generations.

Why This Project Matters

The boat ramp is much more than a place for residents to launch boats, jet skis, kayaks, and other watercraft. It has also become an important access point for:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission personnel
FWC aquatic vegetation contractors
City of Orlando lake-maintenance crews
Police, fire, EMS, and other emergency responders
Environmental monitoring and water-quality activities
Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers

The nearby public access point presents limitations for certain government and emergency operations. Airboats may be unable to pass beneath the pedestrian bridge because of its height, and public utility vehicles and equipment may be left vulnerable when unattended.

Our private ramp therefore provides a practical access point that benefits not only Isle of Catalina residents, but also agencies responsible for public safety, environmental management, and the health of Clear Lake.

Repairing the Ramp Before the Cost Grows

A marine contractor has estimated that repairing and stabilizing the existing ramp will cost approximately $32,000.

We were also advised verbally that if the ramp continues to deteriorate and eventually requires complete replacement, the cost could exceed $150,000.

Repairing the ramp now may preserve an important community asset while avoiding a substantially more expensive replacement project later.

Community Leadership and Government Partnership

Rather than waiting solely for outside assistance before taking action, the Waterways Committee believes our community should begin moving forward while continuing to invite our public partners to participate.

We are actively working to engage:

Commissioner Bakari Burns and the City of Orlando
Corey Knight and City Public Works
Commissioner Mike Scott and Orange County
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Other elected officials and public agencies that benefit from access to Clear Lake

Our community is willing to invest in preserving this asset. We are respectfully asking our governmental partners to invest alongside us because the ramp supports environmental management, emergency response, public safety, and other public functions.

Clear Lake Access Preservation Project

Community Goal: Repair and preserve the Isle of Catalina boat ramp

Estimated Project Cost: $32,000

Current Community Pledges: $7,500

Remaining Goal: Approximately $22,300

Current Leadership Pledges

Fredrick — $1,000
Byron — $1,000
Keith — $1,000
Daniel — $1,000
Guenther — $1,000
Meagan — $1,000
Jake - $1,000
Anonymous - $250
Brandon - $250

We sincerely thank these neighbors for stepping forward and helping establish the initial momentum for this campaign.

How You Can Participate

Complete the Isle of Catalina Boat Ramp Repair Pledge Form.

Residents may choose to:

Make a one-time contribution
Pledge an amount to be paid by a future date
Fulfill a pledge through installments
Offer an eligible in-kind gift or service
Request public recognition or remain anonymous

If you are able to pledge $1,000, we sincerely appreciate your generosity. If that amount is not practical, please consider giving from the heart in whatever amount is comfortable for your household.

Every pledge and donation —large or small—moves us closer to preserving safe and reliable access to Clear Lake.

Donations and Tax Acknowledgments

Donations for this project will be administered through Clear Lakes Foundation, which now operates as a program of AquaTerra Foundation, Inc., and will serve as administrator of the Boat Ramp Repair Project on behalf of the Isle of Catalina Waterways Committee.

AquaTerra Foundation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on environmental stewardship, conservation, education, waterway protection, and community restoration. Clear Lakes Foundation will continue serving as the familiar local program supporting Clear Lake and the Isle of Catalina waterways.

Contributors will receive a written acknowledgment after their completed donation is received, as appropriate, for their tax records. A pledge documents an intention to contribute and is not itself a receipt for a completed charitable gift.

Waterways Committee volunteers plan to deliver printed pledge packets throughout the neighborhood so every household has an opportunity to review the project and participate.

Whether you live directly on the water, tow your boat or watercraft to the ramp, enjoy the lake and clubhouse property, or simply value the appearance and future of the Isle of Catalina, this project affects our entire community.

Thank you for your continued support, participation, and commitment to protecting one of our neighborhood’s most valuable shared assets.

Together We Can Preserve Clear Lake Access.

Best regards,

Dan Gracia
Isle of Catalina Waterways Committee
Clear Lakes Foundation
A Program of AquaTerra Foundation, Inc.
canalcommittee@gmail.com
www.ClearLakesFoundation.org

Isle of Catalina Boat Ramp Repair

Help Preserve Our Community Boat Ramp – Pledge Campaign Now Underway