Plus, public art is all around.
 
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Today’s Forecast

89º | 60% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:00 a.m. | Sunset 8:00 p.m.
 

👟 Walk like a Lakelander

Public transportation + walkability in Lakeland
An aerial view of downtown Lakeland's streets at night
Where will you go next? | Photo via Rut Patel
Between the plethora of coffee shops, parks, and arts + culture venues, there are a lot of spots we want to travel to around Swan City. For the days when driving isn’t possible (or you’re hoping to save the mileage on that sweet ride), save our guide to walkability and public transportation in Lakeland.

Walkability

Out of a possible score of 100, Lakeland scores a 35 on Walk Score’s walkability meter, meaning Lakeland is considered a car-dependent city. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get around the old-fashioned way with a few workarounds.

Check out our example of a walkable day downtown (plus how long each walk will take you):
  • Find a parking spot using our downtown parking guide — the Main Street parking garage is centrally located.
  • Head over to Catapult Lakeland and get a day pass for a day of remote work. | 5 minutes
  • Grab lunch at one of The Joinery’s seven food stalls. | 4 minutes
  • Take a stroll around Lake Mirror while your lunch settles and head to Black and Brew Coffee House & Bistro for an afternoon tea or coffee. | 10 minutes
  • End your downtown day with dinner + drinks at The Terrace Grille, across the street from your parked ride. | 3 minutes
A sandwich board sign at a stop for The Squeeze service outside The Joinery reads "Board here for the Lunch Squeeze." It's surrounded by small palm trees, and The Joinery's entrance is in the background.

During weekdays, hop on the Squeeze here at The Joinery’s entrance.

|

Photo by LALtoday

The Squeeze

Not in the walking mood? The Squeeze, Citrus Connection’s fare-free downtown circulator, offers quick shuttle service on a golf cart. It’s available on Friday evenings and most of the day on Saturdays.

If you’re working or visiting downtown Lakeland on weekdays, hitch a ride on the Lunch Squeeze. The newly expanded program offers short rides to downtown dining + shopping destinations on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More Citrus Connection options
Asked

How do you prefer to get around?
A. I’ll take a car — toss me my keys.
B. These boots were made for walkin’.
C. Catch me on Citrus Connection.
D. On two wheels — I like to bike.
E. Rideshare is my middle name.
Walk this way to answer
 
Events
Tuesday, Aug. 20
  • Silver Star Game Day | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Coleman-Bush Building | Free | Older adults can enjoy a morning of fun, fellowship + classic games together.
  • Spider-Man Skate Night | Tuesday, Aug. 20 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Skate World Lakeland | $6-$11 | Our Spidey senses are tingling — better head to this character skate event to see why.
  • Clay Class — Snake Coil Cup | Tuesday, Aug. 20 + Friday, Aug. 23 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Picassoz Art Cafe | $40 | Show off your FSC pride by creating a clay Mocs cup.
Wednesday, Aug. 21
  • Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 10-11 a.m. | Simpson Park Community Center | $5 | Bring your mat to this class for all levels of yogis 16 or older.
  • Lakeland Women’s Walk Club | Wednesday, Aug. 21 | 7 p.m. | Lake Hollingsworth | Free | Elevate your fitness + meet new people with a community walk around the lake.
Thursday, Aug. 22
  • Trivia Thursdays | Thursday, Aug. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | The Back Nine | Free entry | Test your knowledge with themed and general trivia.
Friday, Aug. 23
  • Summer Bowl-a-Thon | Friday, Aug. 23 | 1-4 p.m. | Orange Bowl Lanes | $250 | Grab your team of four and bowl your best to support Polk’s high school construction career academies.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Open

💸 Doors officially open at Bank of Central Florida’s new location
An exterior render of the new Bank of Central Florida TBAY location.
As a nod to the neighborhood, the new space features historic images of the local community. | Image provided by Bank of Central Florida | Member FDIC
Cue the red ribbon and oversized scissors, because Bank of Central Florida is celebrating the grand opening of its first-ever branch built from the ground up.

Located in the heart of South Tampa’s SoHo District, the luxe new space marks a growth milestone two-and-a-half years in the making.

It is also the sixth location for the local biz, whose Vision 2025 Strategy aims to connect with communities along the I-4 corridor + offer personalized banking solutions from Orlando to Tampa.
Stop by the new space
News Notes
Today Is
  • Primary election day in Polk County. Visit your polling place to cast your vote for local + state candidates. Voting precincts are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m.
Civic
  • City commissioners approved the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) $180,000 purchase of two properties from Gospel, Inc. The Midtown properties are within the CRA’s Mass Market Master Plan area — a plan update is coming next month. (The Ledger)
Real Estate
  • Speaking of real estate, the city will now provide up to $50,000 in down payment assistance for those selected for the Lakeland Housing Authority’s Infill Land Bank Program. The program’s maximum income also increased from 120% to 140% of the area median income. (LkldNow)
Biz
  • Need a new job? Try the award winners on CareerSource Polk’s list of the Best Places to Work. The list of small to large businesses includes Lakeland companies like the Lunz Group, Citrus Connection, the Estates at Carpenters, and MIDFLORIDA Credit Union.
Closing
  • ART/ifact is closing its doors after seven years. The art collective + studio space on North Massachusetts Avenue will close in September due to its building being sold. Chroma Fest is still on for Friday, Aug. 30.
Award
  • LkldNow reporter Kimberly C. Moore was recognized by the Society for Professional Journalism with a Sunshine State Award. Moore won the Breaking News Reporting award for her work covering local crime.
Biz
  • They’ve got the power. Mulberry-based power generation company Progen Industries has been contracted by Ecuador’s government to generate power at three plants across the country following a national state of emergency.
Feel Good
  • Crystal Lake Elementary teachers had a magical morning when characters Goofy and Pluto stopped by. Walt Disney World made visits + donations to five Central Florida school districts — including park tickets for teachers — as part of its Summer of Sharing initiative.
Arts
  • The GiveWell Community Foundation gave a $4,725 grant to Watson Clinic’s Arts in Medicine program through the George W. Jenkins Fund. Learn more about how Arts in Medicine uses creativity to positively impact patients’ wellbeing.
Number
  • 22%. That’s how much auto insurance rates have increased over the last year. Stop overpaying + find a better rate when you get a free, no-obligation quote from Savvy.*
Correction
  • We won’t put lipstick on this pig. Yesterday, we shared that Lakeland PigFest recorded 999 volunteer hours this year, but that was just the amount Camp Fire Sunshine logged. Overall, volunteers from several local partners put in 2,800+ hours and raised $150,000.
 
Arts

🖌️ Brush up on your public art

Where does Lakeland need street art?
A swan statue with a blue and yellow swirl design
These iconic swan statues can be found in all corners of Lakeland. | Photo by LALtoday
It seems like a dumpster is all it takes to get our readers fired up about street art. After sharing how Plant City is putting art on unexpected canvases, we asked you if you’d like to see something similar in Lakeland. An overwhelming majority — 92% — said yes to art on walls, trash receptacles + electrical boxes.

You don’t have to wait to find public art in Swan City. Here’s where to find art all around you:
The Buy

The Buy 8.20.24 (Affiliate)
A laundry hamper cabinet. This easy-to-assemble space-saver comes complete with a hidden compartment for the laundry hamper, as well as a drawer and shelves that are functional storage solutions.
More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
Connor Jacobson

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
Yesterday, Amelia and I got the chance to tour the new Prospect Lake Wire apartment complex, and it had me wanting to move in ASAP (and invest in a neon vest). Keep an eye out for an inside look in our newsletter later this week.

City Editors Connor and Amelia wearing hard hats inside Prospect Lake Wire's clubhouse
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