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Plans Derailed For Turkey Creek Library

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By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

TURKEY CREEK The old Gobblers have won many battles, but they may have lost the war to create a public library in the former Turkey Creek High.

For a dozen years, the Turkey Creek High School Alumni & Friends Association has fought to save, restore and breathe new life into the old brick building that served as one of the area's historical "strawberry schools."

The group launched a petition drive, applied for grants, journeyed to Tallahassee and sold memorial bricks, all in the name of saving the old high school building, which occupies the campus of Turkey Creek Middle School, 5005 S. Turkey Creek Road.

Three years ago, when the county commission placed it on a short list of future library sites and allocated $3.9 million to transform it into a branch library to serve the residents of the Turkey Creek area, the group declared its mission accomplished.

That was before county budget cuts targeted seven library projects and Turkey Creek quietly slipped off the list.

Each year the board of county commissioners approves a five-year capital plan. Turkey Creek, which had been placed on the projected plan in 2007 with a proposed completion date of 2010, didn't make the new cut amid increased competition for limited resources.

Joe Stines, director of libraries for Hillsborough County, cited tight budget times and other priorities.

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