Lightning strike repair project underway at Bok Tower
PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANCHARD
He's a long way up, working on scaffolding high above the earth, anchored to Bok Tower. Fixing the Heron is Roland Ray Jr. It is said that his father also did repair on the tower previously.
PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANCHARD
This is what the view from the top of Bok Tower looks like, as the Herons peer down on the countryside below.
PHOTO BY ROBERT BLANCHARD
The repair work seems tedious at times.
Work is underway to repair one of the eight Georgian marble heron statues atop the historic “Singing Tower” at Bok Tower Gardens, which was struck by lightning in August of 2011. The Gardens received assistance from the State of Florida, Division of Historical Resources to help fund the repair project.
The bolt of lightning struck the 205-foot tall carillon tower and severed the head of the 14-foot tall marble heron on the NNW face on the Tower’s top perimeter. While the head was not dislodged, the crack that resulted from the strike cut completely through the neck of the heron. Temporary measures to secure the heron head were taken immediately by bracing and strapping the head down to the steel beam below. The head weighs about 2,000 pounds.
