The 14 foot wide Magnolia Trail, the first section of the Leesburg Greenway Trail, was completed in October 2003. This section runs from the Mote-Morris House at 12th Street to Canal Street. City staff and members of the community have advanced the idea of connecting the Magnolia Trail to other trails projects being proposed by the City, Lake County Water Authority, Lake County and the Florida Department of Transportation. City staff wants to expand the potential of the Magnolia Trail by connecting it to the Tav-Lee Trail. This would allow residents to use the trail to reach the Sleepy Hollow complex, Lake Sumter Community College, Lake Square Mall and the Lake County Government Complex in Tavares.

This trail, constructed along Canal Street in downtown Leesburg, is designed as a connector between the Tav-Lee Trail, Wild-Lee trail and the Magnolia Trail. Additionally, this trail connects Venetian Gardens to the South and the LCWA’s nature preserve to the north.

A trail along U.S. 441 is being completed by FDOT from U.S. 19 in Tavares to U. S. 27 in Leesburg.

Property has been acquired along the railroad right-of-way between Leesburg and Wildwood. This trail has received funding support by the Lake-Sumter MPO.

This trail segment would be a connector from the Magnolia Trail to the City's Spray field site. The City already owns several miles of abandoned rail road along this route, which is being used for a wastewater line extension. The Lake County Water Authority’s Flat Island is approximately ½ mile from our trail location. Additionally, the old City land fill proposed for future recreation facilities is adjacent to the trail.

The Gardenia Trail would connect Fruitland Park to the Carver Heights Neighborhood, Carver Middle School and Susan Street recreational complex. This trail can be constructed exclusively on CSX property. This trail has received funding support by the Lake-Sumter MPO.

The City recognizes the importance of coordination and partnering with other interested groups and governmental agencies. The following agencies can assist in a variety of ways in the development of a trail network in the Leesburg area: 1. Lake County - Obtaining assistance with right-of-way identification, project design review, funding and letters of support. Additional, the County is developing a variety of recreational facilities that could be connected by the trail network. 2. Lake County Water Authority – County wide network support, connectivity with Water Authority property (Flat Island and property behind North Campus of LRMC) and financial support. 3. FDOT – Developer of the Tav-Lee Trail and potential source of funding for other trail segments.

The Leesburg Trails Master Plan was adopted by the City Commission on October 11, 2004. The final document details existing and proposed trail corridors, as well as design guidelines, prioritization, and funding mechanisms. The public involvement in preparing the Master Plan included a steering committee comprised of 13 community representatives, stakeholder interviews, outreach programs, and a series of scheduled public meetings. The goal of this project was to create a comprehensive document illustrating and defining the development and improvement of new and existing trails. This planning document is designed to be used by local agencies and governments to provide overall guidance to system development.

The Master Plan contains cost estimates which may be funded from a variety of sources, including grant programs, private fundraising, and governmental funding mechanisms. Thus far, the City of Leesburg has committed $200,000 a year (general fund) for the next 10 years for trail development (as included in our current Capital Improvement Plan). Additionally, the City will be reimbursed for the purchase of the Platt Farms and Shore Acres Estates properties in the amount of $1.3 million through the Florida Communities Trust (FCT) grant. It is anticipated that the City will reinvest these funds into additional trail right-of-way or improvements.

view the Master Plan