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July 17, 2005
A "Berry" good idea
Ron Cooper, state planner and a review committee member for the Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commission in the city's Three Star application, said during the city's Three Star review that Fred White, former mayor and director of Portland community development, had made that suggestion. "Fred had one of the best ideas I've ever heard in my life. While building the water tower on the interstate he suggested making into a huge strawberry out of it," Cooper said. Cooper remarked that having a giant strawberry on the interstate would create a landmark for the city that people would refer to on the interstate and would draw people off the interstate. "The city cut off its nose to spite its face by not building that strawberry... You need to get that strawberry on I-65."When I gradutated from college in Lincoln, Neb. I took a job an hour's drive west of Lincoln in York, Neb. While I was there they built a new water tower overlooking I-80 and one businessman came up with the suggestion to paint the water tower like a big hot air balloon. He rallied the community to raise the money to do the job and this is the result:
By the way, kudos to Charlie for starting this weblog. I'm looking for a good healthy exchange of ideas develop here.
UPDATE:
We wouldn't be the first city to create a strawberry water tower. Here is one from Poteet, Texas website promoting Texas roadside attractions. Here also is a site with unusual watertowers.
Posted by B. Ruckle at July 17, 2005 10:25 AM
Comments
I build and weld watertowers. If this project ever takes place I would be honored to weld on a Portland strawberry watertower. Please contact me with any Portland watertower news. Jimmy Jordan
Posted by: Jimmy Jordan at February 5, 2006 02:53 PM
These are all great suggestions and since I can not find anothter category to add a suggestion on a different topic, I will do it here. This blog is an awesome place for "community communication" and I hope that it will become very popular. However, I would like to make a suggestion as to the format of the comments....could they be listed by the most recent date first, thus providing the most current responses and answers to issues...it's just an idea, but seems like it would be quicker and easier to find responses to questions, and info...thanks..gw P.S. I really like the PortlandTN.com idea on the water tower..
Posted by: gw at August 8, 2005 02:14 PM
I like both ideas! The strawberry water tower and the web site. Why not? I dont see the down side.
Posted by: Holly at August 6, 2005 01:58 AM
I have never heard of this idea before but I really like it and think it would draw people from the Interstate to our town. Past Mayor Dan Jenkins had the painters put Strawberries on the water tower on Hwy 52E (at no extra charge to the city). It is very nice and I enjoy seeing it every time I go in that direction.
The State is discussing having an interstate exit in the area of the water tower by the Kentucky state line. I believe this would get visitors to our town, to ask about it or take photos -- Good Idea!! Really good publicity for the annual "Strawberry Festival"!
I also like the idea of "PortlndTN.com" on the Tower -- people would see it and go home and go to the site to find out about Portland. Most people use this website to re-locate to our area!
Posted by: Janice at July 21, 2005 09:13 AM
I think this would be a neat idea. Until the city gets the funds to do this, however, we would like to suggest painting "PortlandTN.com" on the side of the water tower by I-65. Since "Portland" is already on the tower, you'd only be adding six extra characters. This would be relatively inexpensive and would generate a lot of attention for Portland.
Posted by: Leonard at July 18, 2005 08:35 PM