

A four-mile biking and walking trail in south Lakeland just got a lot more scenic with the opening of a shady asphalt path along the northeast edge of the Cleveland Heights Golf Course.
The latest addition to the Three Parks Trail — so named because it passes the golf course, Woodlake Park and Common Grounds Park — opened to the public Saturday.
[box]The video was recorded on an iPhone mounted on a bicycle. The bike ride, which took a little over 17 minutes, was speeded up to 4 minutes, 21 seconds using the Instagram Hyperlapse app.[/box]
The route along the golf course lets pedestrians avoid 33 driveway and street crossings, city planners say. A black vinyl chain link fence protects them from errant golf balls.
Other recent upgrades include adding wide trail segments and landscaping by the Cleveland Heights Clubhouse and along Buckingham Drive and parts of Cleveland Heights Boulevard.

The $340,000 project was paid entirely by a federal grant administered through the Florida Department of Transportation and all of the work was done by city crews, according to Joe Baan, the city’s manager of engineering.
Future improvements to the trail that city officials envision include possibly extending the trail along the western side of the golf course, upgrading the Cleveland Heights Boulevard sidewalk near the YMCA and upgrading the path along New Jersey Road.
The trail is open daily from dawn to dusk.