Hernando Commissioners Back $1 Million Steel Tower to Replace Linda Pedersen Park Landmark

Hernando County commissioners on Aug. 11 backed a conceptual design for a new 50-foot galvanized steel observation tower at Linda Pedersen Park, a roughly $1 million project that would replace the park's original tower after more than three decades of use. The new structure would have two platform levels and, according to county staff, could last up to 90 years, far longer than the tower it replaces.

County Administrator Jeff Rogers told commissioners the project would be paid for largely through a bond, with debt service covered by tourist development tax revenue rather than property taxes. Staff also plan to pursue grants to help offset the cost.

The item appeared on the board's Aug. 11 agenda as "Discussion Regarding Proposed Conceptual Designs for Linda Pedersen Park Observation Tower Replacement." Commissioners' backing moves the project toward final design and construction, though the county has not released a construction timeline or a target reopening date.

Why the old tower came down

The original 40-foot tower at Linda Pedersen Park went up in 1994 under a construction contract with Schlotter Construction, Inc. for just under $70,000. It survived a fire in 2016 that required repairs, but county officials said age, storm damage and rising maintenance costs eventually put it past the point of patching up.

The tower and an adjoining boardwalk near the old swim area were fenced off in mid-2025 while the county ordered a structural assessment. That review, which ran alongside separate demolition work on an unrelated, flood-damaged Port Authority building elsewhere in the park, concluded the tower needed to be replaced rather than repaired.

In January, commissioners weighed three possible locations for a replacement tower: the original site, Weekiwachee Preserve, and Bayport Park. They voted unanimously to rebuild in the same spot, preserving the long sightline up the Jenkins Creek floodplain toward open water that made the original tower a draw for birders, anglers and photographers.

What's still open at the park

While the tower and boardwalk remain closed, the rest of Linda Pedersen Park has stayed open throughout the process. The kayak and canoe launch, bank fishing areas, playground and restrooms have continued operating on a separate stretch of shoreline from the tower and old swim area.

The county is also still working to hire a contractor for the separate boardwalk repair near the old swim area, with updates expected once that schedule is set. No construction start date or reopening date for the tower itself has been announced.

Stay with Hernando County Community Website for updates as design work moves forward, and follow us on Facebook for the latest. Have thoughts on how the county should spend tourist tax dollars on park projects like this one? Join the conversation in our Community Forum, and check out more government and politics stories or community stories from around Hernando County.

Header photo: DanTD / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)