Tulsa - City of Statues

[RecycleMichael]

I proposed this.

It was a way to get people to think outside the box. I truly believe it would work, but don't really believe they should spend vision dollars on them. I just need to find some rich people who love the Golden Driller as much as me.

Here is a copy of my speech...

Tulsa   A City of Statues

Thank you to the Mayor, the Council, and wife. I appreciate this whole process. Your willingness to listen to ideas before you make a list is great governance. My experience has usually been, "Here is our list. Please comment."

My idea started with the words "Come to us with big ideas" being muttered by the biggest councilor. Big ideas. What is a bigger thing for Tulsa than the Golden Driller?

The Golden Driller is celebrating his golden anniversary next when he turns 50 years old. He is the fifth largest statue in America (Statue of Liberty is 150 feet and Golden Driller is 76 feet tall).  He is beloved around the world and a true landmark that uniquely says Tulsa, its past, and a non-pretentious style all our own.

The Golden Driller is a spot that costs almost nothing to maintain. He was last painted in 2011 and virtually no other tax dollars per year. It is more than a gathering place; it is a Selfie Magnet for the entire region. It identifies more than a city; it landmarks nearby neighborhoods draws our gaze every time we pass. The Golden Driller inspires us.

My proposal

Build more 75 foot statues. Think penguins on steroids.

Each statue could be unique and tell the story of other professions or people. Think of a guitar player to honor Woody Guthrie or Bob Wills...imagine a mechanic near American Airlines, a fisherman near the river or a nurse near our hospitals.
A series of statues the size of the Golden Driller spread throughout our community would be unique, odd, memorable and affordable.

It would inspire travel magazines to write of road trips and tourist selfies in front of some of the largest examples of art in our country.  They would be fresh, large, and their economic potential as development and foot traffic magnets could be as big as they are. As the Golden Driller teaches about the oil industry, other statues could connect with Route 66, our Native American roots, aerospace, music, or our heroes.

This proposal hits each of your goals. It unleashes the creative potential of Tulsans and addresses the challenge of reimagining and redeveloping. Brings people together and connects with our transit routes.

The locations I propose all are within reasonable walking distance of current transit but can also be seen from our highways, but these could be anywhere in Tulsa.

Each council district could be represented and could be a project for arts councils, young professionals and neighborhood business associations. The statues can use existing parking but will encourage people to get out and walk, take selfies and read a plaque and learn. Finally, it invests in Tulsa's unique assets and each statue becomes an instant treasure.

The cost would be minimal compared to the proposals you have heard so far. The Golden Driller costs less than $200,000 to build and install in today's dollars. We spent one million dollars in the last vision package to purchase and install the Meadow Gold sign on 11th street.

The Meadow Gold sign is an excellent example of the amount of space needed for a statue. There is not another idea that you will hear that needs less maintenance dollars in the future.

For budgetary reasons I will go with that. A million dollars per statue. Complete. Parking plaque, statue and gold paint. My proposal would be for the council and Mayor to make matching funds available of five hundred thousand for each year of the vote so nine years would get us nine more statues. The order and decision could be by you, or the arts council, or whomever.

Each of the proposed locations is just a suggestion. I looked for city owned land with existing parking and an opportunity for beautification. These could be built on private land and could anchor and identify future heroes or professions.

Our partners are everywhere and more statues will make us even better. Done well, they will be inspirational to our community. Give the Praying Hands a body.

Put Tulsa on the map by making us larger than life. Celebrate the big things and build the new things that future visitors and others will love like we have the Golden Driller for the last 49 years. I wish to thank the Council for the want to listen, Daniel Jeffries for the fun pictures, and the Golden Driller himself for being everything cool.

Same sex marriage is now legal...give the Golden Driller a life partner.  Statue is a derivative of the word status. Building more statues like the Golden Driller and our status, like our future, will stay gold.
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[heironymouspasparagus]

I proposed this.

It was a way to get people to think outside the box. I truly believe it would work, but don't really believe they should spend vision dollars on them. I just need to find some rich people who love the Golden Driller as much as me.

Here is a copy of my speech...

Tulsa   A City of Statues

Thank you to the Mayor, the Council, and wife. I appreciate this whole process. Your willingness to listen to ideas before you make a list is great governance. My experience has usually been, "Here is our list. Please comment."

My idea started with the words "Come to us with big ideas" being muttered by the biggest councilor. Big ideas. What is a bigger thing for Tulsa than the Golden Driller?

The Golden Driller is celebrating his golden anniversary next when he turns 50 years old. He is the fifth largest statue in America (Statue of Liberty is 150 feet and Golden Driller is 76 feet tall).  He is beloved around the world and a true landmark that uniquely says Tulsa, its past, and a non-pretentious style all our own.

I heard you on NPR a few days ago!  That was you, wasn't it - they said it was...?

Good idea!  Let's just not let it become a "Cadillac Ranch"....


I still want a penguin for the house!!  

[TheArtist]

I love the idea!  I would suggest allowing people in each district to pick just about anything to make a giant statue of.  I had thought of teaming up DECOPOLIS with Mary Beth of Dwelling Spaces to see we could get a giant retro robot statue built and have on Route 66 near downtown somewhere.  Also, per the request that the proposals have something to do with transit, how about incorporate bus stops into each one so they are not only fun and act as attractions but are practical and functional as well. 

[RecycleMichael]

This is my speech before the City Council.

While many of you think the idea is wonderful, it really shouldn't be funded with vision dollars. I just wanted an excuse to raise attention to the Golden Driller, the vision process, and inspire people to think big.

I do think it is a fun idea that would work. It just needs to be done with corporate and philanthropic dollars. If anyone has ideas...
The speech is fun. If you have five minutes....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cpZbGX5F2Y

[Conan71]

I loved the comments in the TW from the usual trolls including FOTD/AOX 

[carltonplace]

I love the idea!  I would suggest allowing people in each district to pick just about anything to make a giant statue of.  I had thought of teaming up DECOPOLIS with Mary Beth of Dwelling Spaces to see we could get a giant retro robot statue built and have on Route 66 near downtown somewhere.  Also, per the request that the proposals have something to do with transit, how about incorporate bus stops into each one so they are not only fun and act as attractions but are practical and functional as well. 

Giant Bigfoot statue!

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Giant Bigfoot statue!

That would be perfect. Oklahoma-centric and potentially iconic. What would bigfoot rest his arm on? A big real-life tree would be neat if feasible.