Helping restore Plant Park to the time when The University of Tampa was the Tampa Bay Hotel is the goal of the Friends of Plant Park (FoPP). The newly added flagpole is just one part of the restoration process that has been going on for years.
The newly constructed flagpole is 112 feet high with a cross-bar for two more flags.
The 45-star American Flag will fly on the pole because there were only 45 states during the time of the hotel.
Surrounding the base of the flagpole will be a star shaped flower bed.
In August 2008, Hillsborough County Commissioners gave a total of $50.6 million dollars to be used in the restoration and construction of county parks and other public facilities.
The funds also came from the Community Investment Tax Grant. The FoPP received $65,000 out of the funds for their restoration efforts. The City of Tampa then doubled the funds for a grand total of $130,000.
Formed in 1993, the mission of FoPP is “to cultivate community interest in education, restoration, preservation and maintenance of Henry B. Plant Park as a botanical garden” and “to use the garden’s rich Victorian history to identify with the Old Tampa Bay Hotel and to bring Henry B. Plant Park to national prominence.”
The flagpole construction, as well as the restoration of the cannon/Spanish Fort Exhibit next to Riverside Center, is a part of phase four of the restoration effort, according to the Henry B. Plant master plan site plan. However, Sue Isbell, president of FoPP, says that it is technically phase two or the second set of restorations.
“Our organization is elated because we have been working on the implementation of the phases,” Isbell said. “We are very excited to have this done.”
Donna Popovich, UT’s Human Resources director, is the liaison between FoPP and UT. She is in charge of making FoPP aware that the park is often used by UT students while also letting UT know what FoPP is planning.
Popovich said that the restoration is about showing the history of Plant Park.
“It’s about enjoying what we have,” Popovich said.
The Friends of Plant Park will dedicate the flagpole and the restored Spanish Fort exhibit at 3:30 p.m. on March 24.
The Friends of Plant Park also receive funds through their annual Greenfest. This year’s 13th annual Greenfest is from March 27-28.
For more information on the Friends of Plant Park go to http://www.friendsofplantpark.com.
The crescent has been used throughout time as a symbol for many different reasons. The South Carolina flag has a crescent on it. The US Military uses a crescent on its ration boxes because the Department of Defense uses it to identify subsistence items. It was used by pre- Islamic Turkic nations on coins.
While it is identifiable today as a Muslim/Middle Eastern religious symbol, it has many meanings. Etymologically, crescent derives from the present participle form of the Latin verb crescere- which means “to grow”. It was originally used in English to describe the waxing moon, and thus has no origin as a religious symbol in the US.
Ultimately, you have to understand that the symbol was originally used by Henry Plant because he was a master at marketing and thought they would draw a crowd. They are also a great example of the Moorish Revival architecture that swept through the southeastern US during the late 1800’s and is seen throughout the rest of Plant Hall. Technically, the US Flag Protocol and existing laws dealing with flag etiquette do not say anything about flag poles or their adornments. Even if it did “break” the laws- the laws have no penalties associated with them.
It really boils down to the fact that it is historical in nature, and should be preserved with this in mind. Pulling the “religion” card is showing ignorance of the subject. When viewed in context with the rest of the campus- Plant Hall specifically- you get the complete picture. If viewed individually, without such context, it may seem unclear of the meaning. It is obviously a symbol used in the construction of Plant Hall (originally Tampa Bay Hotel) in line with other examples of Moorish Revival architecture found throughout the US and the world. Look at the big picture.
Personally, I find the minarets- wherever they are on display on campus- and the crescents on top to be a beautiful example of this form of architecture. While more extravagant than most examples, it is nonetheless an icon of the Tampa Bay area and an endearing part of the skyline. As a veteran, I have no issues with the flagpole or any adornments- I only see the flag anyways. Let us look at the big picture and quit letting our personal feelings about a religion or group of people get in the way of rational thought.
Columbus is celebrated because of his exploration only. The guy was not much better than the conquistadores that came afterward.
Of course, the Muslim armies that conquered North Africa and began the African Slave Trade were pretty bad too. And those Mongols that sacked Baghdad? Jerks. What about those Roman fascists who kept oppressing the Gauls?
—-
Anyway, about the crescent on the flagpole – grow up. It’s not a symbol of Islam, it’s an archetctural element. UT is not a Muslim institution, it just happens to be a product of a late 19th-century fascination with Ottoman/Moroccan archetectural stylings. Go protest the Mosque three streets over or something if you want to hate on Muslims.
Christopher Columbus sucks !. He is a guy who is an evil, coldblooded, calculating, sinful, sadistic genocidal murderer who abducted, enslaved, tortured, murdered and butchered millions of poor innocent Native Americans. He stole their lands and gold and hanged and burned thirteen Native Americans at the time. He even chopped up Native American babies and fed them to his animals as animal food. Even worse, he called the people Indians because he thought he was in the East Indies. He is a cold remorseless tyrant !. Please abolish Columbus
you didn’t put your name either so are you not “hiding behind a computer”? The only “intellectually light weight argument” is that something on top of a flag poll looks vaguely like a religious symbol. that’s like saying if they put a star instead of a crescent you’d get angry because it’s only one side away from being a jewish star, “and we can’t be goin an puttin religious symbols up on our flag polls now can we??
“Hilarious”, you personally attack someone you do not know with tasteless, vulgar comments and call them ignorant and f*&%ing stupid. The only ignorance on display here is an intellectually light weight argument resorting to personal attacks and vulgarities when the facts don’t support your position. I’m sure you would be just as tolerant and enlightened about this issue if the American flag was flying on a flag pole with a cross on top instead of a crescent.
My point is that an American flag on public land should not be flying under any religious symbol even if that symbol is only intended as a decoration. I’m sure you believe that most of the countries whose opinion of stereotypical “ignorant Americans” you claim to be so concerned with would be just fine to have a cross, or six-pointed star or any other symbol that is used by religions to be displayed in a similar fashion. Don’t let facts get in the way when you when you can anonymously spew random personal attacks while hiding behind a computer.
Peace Brother.
South Tampa Resident: you are so fucking stupid it’s hilarious. You’re the reason why other countries have stereotypes of ignorant Americans. Thank you for being a waste of life.
UT incorporates crescent symbols in its marketing because it is part of its architecture, which includes minarets. One does not have to be Muslim to use a crescent symbol. Many of UT’s buildings are based on Middle Eastern architecture. More prominently, Plant Hall, which was constructed in the early 1900s incorporated architecture from various cultures.
Why does Tampa University have this crescent symbol on every piece of its Marketing materials if it’s not an Islamic institution? I doubt it is attracting too many non islamic students. What do you think?
Understanding the desire to be historical in the design of the new flagpole, re-creating the old flagpole with the crescent moon design was not intended to offend, it still does.
The crescent moons on the buildings at Tampa University are fine, in fact I appreciate good architecture. The design is “Moorish” or “Turkish” influenced and should be preserved as a unique part of Tampa’s history.
In today’s world however, the crescent moon is part of the religious symbol of Islam. While understanding that we are not at war with Islam and most of the practioners of “the religion of peace” are peaceful, the fact is we are at war with RADICAL ISLAM, worldwide. Any symbol placed on top of the U.S. Flag is a violation of U.S. Flag protocol, especially one that is used by enemies of the United States. Keep the flagpole, keep the crescent moons on the buildings but remove it from above the symbol of our nation, and the flag that covers the coffins of our men and women who protect this nation… in a time of WAR!
It would be similar to placing a swastika on top of the flagpole if the building was a Bavarian or Art-Deco design from Germany in the 1930’s; saying that most of the people in Germany who practiced or were members of the Nazi party had nothing to do with the Holocaust and the murder of innocents.
Nothing should fly over or be on top of our flag, never; especially on a college/university campus that has ROTC, accepts Federal money and has U.S. military veterans in its halls…
Why is there a Muslim crescent being used as an ornament on top of a flagpole flying an American flag? This is completely unacceptable. Who approved this expenditure of taxpayer funds? Please don’t tell us that you’re only restoring the park to the way it used to be 100 years ago. The reality is that taxpayer money has been used to put this symbol on top of an American flag.
Today’s sensibilities do matter. You would not have put a cross on the flagpole but you’ll fly the American flag under a Muslim crescent. Another example is that swastikas were common symbols used by many groups and as decorative designs before the Nazis used the symbol. You would not have put a swastika on a flagpole either. Please take the crescent down now. The American flag must not fly under any other symbol!
This flagpole is too tall. It makes Plant Hall look like a dollhouse next to it. Also, the crescent on top of the pole is not at the same angle of the crescents on Plant Hall. It looks ridiculous.