Beach ball water tower
The beach ball water tower is a Pensacola Beach landmark and nonfunctional water tower located near the Gulfside Pavilion at Casino Beach.
Formerly owned by the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, the role of the tower was replaced by the three water tanks located near the Bob Sikes Bridge. Although the tower is no longer used to store water for the Santa Rosa Island community, the Santa Rosa Island Authority voted 5-1 on March 9, 2005 to keep the landmark in its place at an estimated annual cost of $13,000-$14,000 for maintenance.[1] SRIA Board member and restaurateur McGuire Martin, whose Crabs and Flounders establishments would benefit from the twelve parking spaces occupied by the tower, cast the dissenting vote. "I'd rather have the parking spots," he said.[2]
ECUA sold the tower to the Island Authority for $1 on February 22, 2007.[3]
A second 100,000-gallon tower, also painted to resemble a beach ball, was formerly located further east on the island, but was disassembled on September 5, 2007.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Beach ball water tower will remain." Gulf Breeze News, March 10, 2005.
- ↑ "Beachball land mark saved from demolition." Pensacola News Journal, March 3, 2005.
- ↑ "What's this landmark worth to you?" Pensacola News Journal, February 23, 2007.
- ↑ "Iconic watertower dismantled at beach." Pensacola News Journal, September 6, 2007.
