tulsa's high art penguins, will they ever go away?

[mobboss]

i see them all over town, most of them are in horrible shape. They were originally a money raising object for the Tulsa zoo's penguin habitat, but after these past years now they sit in front of businesses faded, ratty and looking sad, were they intended to stay forever or be removed, redone or just scrapped? I think its a telling sign of the general conditions at the zoo and a poor reflection on the city...

[TheArtist]

What penguins? I dont see any giant penguins...You see giant penguins all over town? hmmm... What you been smokin dude?

[mobboss]

ha! gotcha,,i never said anything about them being 'giant'

[TheArtist]

Drats lol

[Conan71]

Mobboss, I understand we might be neighbors now...

[cannon_fodder]

No.

They will only go away as their owners do something with them.  Just like any other property issue in the city, the problem is churches, stores and businesses failing to maintain them.   They are not owned by the zoo, thus they are not a reflection on the condition of the zoo.

Every out of town guest I know thinks it is amusing and enjoys keeping an eye out for them.

And while the zoo could certainly be improved, for the resources they are given they do a hell of a job.

[Conan71]

I was just reminded that for my older daughter's birthday one year, we rented the Hummer limo and they went Penguin-spotting.  I think that must have been 2004, or whatever year that was such a big deal.  It was a clever idea, better than a keg party for 14 year-olds.

[ARGUS]

perhaps one should start a watch group for old men at Lowe's waving dryer duct cleaning brishes?
OR a great raft race w/ penguins being ridden by water cowboys?

[godboko71]

The Zoo is always improving, (they are renovating two of there buildings as we type) the penguins are indeed not a reflection of the zoo, like many things some property owner forget things need to be maintained, it also doesn't help that there theft and vandalism issues.

On doesn't have to like the penguins but there is no need to bash the Zoo it is a good family friendly place to spend time, though I wish they would consider expanding there hours some.

[Conan71]

perhaps one should start a watch group for old men at Lowe's waving dryer duct cleaning brishes?
OR a great raft race w/ penguins being ridden by water cowboys?

You are hillarious, what are the chances???  I'll be at JM's closer to 6:30.

[Hawkins]

I remember when those penguins first starting going up, and a couple of them were stolen/vandalized.

The TPD came down on the vandals like they were Taliban pedophiles running a Jewish nursery.

The Tulsa media ran a story on it, and the word was out. Touch those penguins, and you die!!

[sgrizzle]

...a keg party for 14 year-olds.

What an interesting childhood you lead...

[Conan71]

What an interesting childhood you lead...

It's my new business.  We are still hammering out some of the liability details.  Insurance can be such a pain in the rear...

[wordherder]

I'm a little disappointed that some of the most interesting penguins are disappearing.  There was an awesome two-toned one next to where Leon's is now on Brookside, and a very well-done samurai penguin by In the Raw.  Both are gone now.

[In2neon]

I understood the penguins to be a fund raiser for the zoo (obviously) and when you made the donation of whatever the amount was, that it would be customized and displayed on your property for a specified number of years and then be returned to "someone"....
Whether "someone" was the zoo or a third party and whether or not they are still in business is unknown....