TULSA, Okla. — There's been no shortage of opinions about the planned Cry Baby Hill statue — whether it be winning concept, the artist not hailing from Tulsa, or the alleged lack community input.
Now, the neighborhood next to the planned Cry Baby Hill statue is discussing the matter at its Sept. 10 meeting, and City of Tulsa officials are going to attend.
"Although the Board of Directors advocated for a different artistic representation on this beloved hilltop, we ultimately were overruled. We are grateful for the input that was received from the city planners to cap the monument at 20 ft. instead of the proposed 50 ft," a statement on the bi-monthly meeting's Facebook event page reads.
The statement continued, "We understand that many who participated in the public outreach might feel disheartened or even disenfranchised by this selection."
"If you would like to know more about this selection process and also have the opportunity to voice your opinion on the process or the selected art, the city has agreed to participate" at the Sept. 10 meeting, it said.
Chris McCabe, the Riverview Neighborhood Association's president, told 2 News that residents have been against any monument from the beginning.
“We had made that request that there would be no roadside monument on that hill, and then, as we went through the process, the city insisted.”
However, the city ultimately pushed forward with the quarter-million-dollar statue.
The City of Tulsa said in a statement, "We respect the opinions of the neighbors, our artist community, and everyday Tulsans who have shared their thoughts after this announcement, and we're confident the artist will take their input into consideration as a final design is developed."
McCabe emphasized “it's important not to gloss over and move on, but give the city a chance to explain why they did it and let them hear from the neighbors that might be against it.”
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