Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital Helps to Extend the Fort Frasier Trail Along the Holloway Family Trail in Lakeland

LAKELAND  –– Polk County, the City of Lakeland and Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital officially opened the 2 1/2- mile extension of Polk County's Fort Frasier Trail recently through property donated by the hospital and the Holloway family.

The section Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital agreed to donate when it bought the property is called the Holloway Family Trail, named for the property sellers. It includes a beautiful bridge over what is usually a wetlands area.

The main portion of the trail runs nearly eight miles, follows an old CSX Railroad line and is named after the 1837 fort that once existed just off the trail during the Second Seminole War. The trail, now 10 miles long, connects Bartow to Lakeland along U.S. Highway 98 South. The 2 1/2 -mile, $4.5 million extension jogs over to Lakeland Highlands Road off Glendale Avenue and extends by the Polk Parkway. Users can walk, run and bike along the trail, which includes:

• tree canopies
• pastures
• picnic shelters
• rest shelters and
• and trestle bridges

Polk County Commissioners and Lakeland City Commissioner Terry Coney, along with county and city staff and Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital team members, were on hand for the event. Carlos Carrasco, president of Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital, told the group that the hospital is committed to community health.

"Orlando Health's mission is to improve the health and quality of life of individuals in the communities we serve, much as the Holloway Family Trail is a commitment to the health and wellness of the community here," Carrasco said. "When the hospital opens in July, this trail will not only benefit our area's residents, but our over 1,500 team members, who will enjoy walking, biking and running on the trail, as well."

Mark Mines, MD, the hospital’s chief medical officer and a cardiologist, said he hopes the trail’s connection to an already-established Lakeland trail will help residents start or stay on a fitness routine.

“Even just a 30-minute daily brisk walk can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and help people lose weight,” Dr. Mines said. “All of that is crucial to maintaining a healthy heart and lowering the risk for a heart attack.”

About Orlando Health

 Orlando Health is a private not-for-profit, integrated academic healthcare system with $14 billion of assets under management, that serves the southeastern United States – including Florida and Alabama – and Puerto Rico. With corporate offices in Orlando, Florida the system provides a complete continuum of care across a network of medical centers and institutes, community and specialty hospitals, physician practices, urgent care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare, and long-term and behavioral health care services. Founded more than 100 years ago, Orlando Health’s mission is to improve the health and the quality of life of the individuals and communities we serve. The system provided nearly $2 billion in community impact in the form of community benefit programs and services, Medicare shortfalls, bad debt, community-building activities and capital investments in FY 24, the most recent period for which the information is available. For more information, visit orlandohealth.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.

About Watson Clinic

As one of the largest multispecialty medical clinics in the southeast, Watson Clinic provides comprehensive healthcare services to residents of Lakeland and surrounding communities.  First established in 1941, Watson Clinic has grown to include over 200 board-certified physicians representing more than 40 medical and surgical specialties.  The Clinic is proud to deliver quality healthcare to every generation from our Main Clinic location at 1600 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland, as well as 19 additional convenient locations throughout Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. More information is available at  www.WatsonClinic.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.