LAKESIDE – Bill Scott still carries clippers during his morning walks on the bike path along Doctors Lake Drive. For years it was so he could cut his way through overgrown vines and branches like a safari tour guide. Now it’s more out of habit.

The once-cluttered path on the busy Orange Park street has received a lot of attention in the past seven months. Once overrun with foliage and neglect, the path now is a popular way for residents to exercise again.

“I still carry my clippers, but I keep them in my pocket,” Scott said. “You still see a branch or a vine that needs trimming. But it’s a whole lot better. I appreciate everything the county’s doing.”

And it only took a phone call.

“I walk six miles a day and they weren’t maintaining the walkway,” said R.B. Juneau. “It was a mess. There were so many branches and vines, it was hard to walk on it. One day, I decided to call the county. The next day, they jumped right on it.

“It’s easy to criticize, but this time the process worked. Doctors Lake has never looked this good.”

County Manager Howard Wanamaker, Public Works Director Teresa Gardner and County Engineer Richard Smith check on each call on Fridays. They toured the area and quickly made arrangements with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office to start a clearing project.

They’ve been working on it since December, and there’s still a large section to go.

And by the time they finish, it probably will need to do it all over again since the brush grows so quickly, Scott said.

“Some of those vines can grow four or five feet a day,” he said.

CCSO’s work crew uses saws and trimmers to hack away thick underbrush and branches. They leave large piles of debris on the shoulder of the road that reminds residents of how much work is completed every day. It’s a grueling job, especially in the sweltering Florida heat. And it’s a job the prisoners do as volunteers.

“They don’t get any special privileges or pay for working,” said CCSO spokesman Andrew Ford. “They have to go through a voluntary process.”

The two prisoners were covered with sweat, leaves and dirt. Neither complained.

“If you had the opportunity to get outside in the sun, even on a hot day, it’s better than being cooped up, sitting in a jail cell.

“More important, it gives them a sense of work ethic. It keeps them busy, and in the long run, it can keep them out of jail because they get a sense of belonging.”

For Scott and Juneau, their work allows them to resume their daily exercise routines without ducking under branches and stepping over vines and overgrown bushes.

“I used to go down there with my power tools and try to clear it all out,” Scott said. “It’s exhausting. I know it’s not an easy job. I know what a dirty job it can be. We’re all so thankful for the job they’re doing.”