Bat Tower Plan for Riverhills Park Withdrawn: What People Are Saying

Since the Temple Terrace Preservation Society announced its withdrawal of a request to build a bat tower in Riverhills Park, Patch readers have sounded off on what they think of the measure.

Some, like reader Geoffrey Boehning, said the Preservation Society’s decision was the right one.

“I believe the bat tower will have it’s benefits, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of peoples property values, sort of like the obstruction of the river view from the houses by the community garden,” he wrote on the story Preservation Society Withdraws Request to Build Bat Tower in Riverhills Park. “Wished we knew when that meeting had been, would’ve definitely fought that one.”

Others, like Temple Terrace Patch Facebook fan Daniel Patrick, said they are disappointed.

“This is unfortunate,” Patrick commented. “I feel for Mr. Lancaster and the Preservation Society. They put so much time and effort into a project just to have it discredited by lies and slander.”

Still others have offered suggestions for a solution that everyone can agree on. Reader Jamie Robe proposed building the tower on a floating platform.

“It could be constructed in the same way, just on top of an flat mini-barge unit made from those sealed drums they use on house boats or docks,” he wrote. “The whole unit could then be positioned in the middle of the very wide part of the river, near those little islands…”

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Preservation Society member and City Councilman Grant Rimbey emailed City Manager Jerry Seeber Thursday morning, June 6, to inform the city of the society’s request withdrawal. He cited increasing misinformation about the Temple Terrace Bat Tower Reconstruction project and the animosity and anger the project is generating among residents.

At a City Council meeting Tuesday, June 4, council members voted unanimously to explore additional site locations after residents near Riverhills Park voiced concerns about the bat tower being built in the area.

The council directed city staff to take the next few weeks to work with Tim Lancaster, president of the Temple Terrace Preservation Society, and the group’s members to explore other sites. It also encouraged residents to suggest locations they think would work.

Council members planned to discuss the city’s findings at their July 16 meeting.

Rimbey said the Preservation Society plans to work with the city to examine two other city-owned sites located on the Hillsborough River away from homes. If these locations don’t work, he said, the society will consider terminating the project.

The Preservation Society has been working toward building the tower in Temple Terrace for the last decade. The city’s original bat tower was built in 1924 along the banks of the Hillsborough River behind what is now 933 Riverhills Drive. Arsonists burned it down in 1979.

Read more comments on these stories:

• Preservation Society Withdraws Request to Build Bat Tower in Riverhills Park
• City to Explore Additional Bat Tower Locations
• Bat Tower Still Being Discussed
• Bat Tower Talk Dominates Neighborhood Meeting
• City Answers Important Bat Tower Questions
• Temple Terrace Bat Tower: What People Are Saying
• Bat Tower to Rise in Riverhills Park
• Home Across From Riverhills Park is Most Expensive for Sale in Temple Terrace