Confederate Memorial Park opens today in Tampa
To the editor:
Three years of permits, politics, and persistency is about to pay off for the Sons of Confederate veterans of Florida. The dedication of their Confederate Memorial Park has been set for today, Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Tampa.
The park is adorned with 75 Confederate jasmine on chain link fencing bordering 18 pallets of Pensacola Bahia sod on the grounds with an additional 300 feet of flower beds, The center piece of this historical park dedication is the world’s largest Confederate battle flag, 30 feet by 60 feet. It is beautiful and waves 139 feet in the air on the southwest corner of I-4 and I-75 at exit 261 in Tampa, Florida. The 153-foot tall flagpole was manufactured in Texas and delivered to Florida in four sections. The pole base is 14 feet in the ground surrounded by an eight foot diameter sleeve filled with 12,000 pounds of concrete. The base of the flagpole itself is two feet in diameter with six inches diameter at the top, and an internal hal halyard for raising the flag.
The front of Confederate Park is ringed with 12,000 red bricks resting on 300 inner concrete blocks along with the installation of 240 feet of wrought iron at the parking area. Mega spotlights for the flag and pole accentuate night visibility as cars, 18 wheelers, and vans honk in recognition day and night of their beloved Dixie flag.
A full day of events is planned starting at 10 a.m. including Nashville singers, vendors, a Civil War reenactment, speeches, and a live remote bytantalk1340.com. Please log onto tampaflag.info for more about the Confederate Park dedication day.
Jon Larsen Shudlick
Cape Coral