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Hillsborough's 'Mr. River' Dies

Photo by Roberta Schofield.

Alan Wright, left, and Sylvia Espinola were honored for more than 20 years of dedicated service at the Hillsborough Planning Commission's Community Design Awards gala on April 5, 2007 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

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By MIKE SALINERO of The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2007

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Alan Wright, known locally as "Mr. River" because of his decadeslong advocacy for the Hillsborough River, died this morning after a long battle with cancer.

Wright, 54, was a principal planner with the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and county liaison to the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board and Technical Advisory Council for 21 years.

Friends and members of the local environmental community say he was much more.

They say efforts to restore the river, including restoration of a constant flow of fresh water below the dam at Rowlett Park, were due largely to Wright's behind-the-scenes efforts.

"Everything good that happened for the river, ... none of it would have happened without him," said Phil Compton, spokesman for the conversation group Friends of the River. "This community needs to know what kind of person it lost."

Wright was instrumental in establishing the annual Mayor's Hillsborough River & Waterways Cleanup, which recently celebrated its 20th year with 1,200 people participating.

He also played a key role in the purchase of the Sulphur Springs Water Tower property on the banks of the river and in the lighting and ongoing restoration of the tower itself.

In 2001, Wright was successful in having the Florida Greenways & Trails System designate the waterway the Hillsborough River Blueway. In May, Tampa renamed its portion of the Hillsborough River Blueway. It now is the Alan Wright Hillsborough River Blueway.

Friends say Wright never sought recognition for his 20-plus years of advocating for river conservation and restoration.

"Alan Wright was the voice and soul of the Hillsborough River," said Tampa City Council member Linda Saul-Sena, who knew Wright for 20 years. "He was the river's most passionate advocate, and he did more to protect it than any other person I know."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

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