Catoosa City Council Approves Conceptual Development Plan for the Blue Whale

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association was in attendance Monday night at a City Council meeting in Catoosa. At the top of the agenda was a topic that had been making the rounds for the past week: planned development for the Blue Whale and the 23.5 acres the city owns around it.

Several residents spoke up during Public Comment, which was at the top of the meeting. Each person called attention to the fact that the ARK and Nature’s Acres were built before the Blue Whale and how important it was to ensure it was all saved. They also spoke out against the Airbnb idea and the miniature golf course.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association provided the last public comment before the formal agenda got underway. Our statement by current President Rhys Martin is in full below:

The Blue Whale of Catoosa is one of Route 66’s most well-known and beloved landmarks. Not only is it a quirky roadside attraction that brings in visitors from around the world, but at its heart it is a love story, a manifestation of the connection between Hugh and Zelta Davis. I would be surprised if they thought in 1972 that their creation would become an international icon and their enduring legacy.

We at the Oklahoma Route 66 Association understand the desire, and need, to ensure the park around the Whale is able to bring in money to maintain this landmark and the significant opportunity to provide a more robust experience for travelers. Catoosa is about more than just the Whale and a larger Visitor’s Center will help highlight some of that while celebrating the Great American Road Trip at the same time. Certainly, the bathrooms need to be able to handle the tour buses that stop by. Much of the property southwest of the Whale is ripe for some additions that will accomplish those things.

But it’s vital that the experience of the Whale itself and the grounds surrounding it remain as close to the original vision as possible. The Whale would not exist today were it not for the Davis’s love of nature and their desire to share it with a larger audience. When Nature’s Acres opened in the late 1960s, years before construction of the whale began, it was a celebration of their life-long appreciation for the natural world. People traveling Route 66 could pull off and see the alligator farm and the snake pit, as well as the specimens within. The ARK, which stands for Animal-Reptile Kingdom, was a community gathering spot for birthdays and other parties. Guests were led on a personal tour of the nature trail and its variety of creatures in their natural habitats.

In a July 1968 article for the Tulsa World, Mr. Davis stated, “I feel that there is a need for the children in this generation, especially the ones in the city, to get the chance to associate with nature. Television has done an excellent job of informing children about nature, but they should get a chance to find out some things for themselves.”

That legacy does continue today. Families come and fish at the pond. People walk the trail and observe the flora and fauna. They sit down and enjoy a moment of serenity next to this giant concrete whale while the turtles swim lazily in the pond.

I understand the site plan from Hampton Creative that has been in the news is a mock-up and does not reflect precisely what the final product will look like. But what I have seen concerns our Association and many other Route 66 advocates with how it seems to borrow from other Route 66 attractions rather than enhance the uniqueness of Catoosa’s famous landmark. Commercialization has always been part of the Route 66 story but there is a balance here that the City needs to be mindful of.

Likewise, I want to make sure our voice is heard from the Preservation perspective. Preserving the Blue Whale isn’t just about the structure itself, but it’s about the context around it. The woods, the path, the connection to nature. Please do not let future development disturb this roadside oasis; once the authenticity of the Blue Whale is removed, there is no getting it back.

My thanks to the Council for the opportunity to raise these concerns directly. As always, our Association is at your disposal.

The Blue Whale in 2020

Afterwards, Hampton Creative gave their full presentation. It includes enhancing the walking trails, adding a waterfall to aerate the pond, a larger gift shop with 24 hour restrooms, a set of Airbnb trailers for overnight accomodation, miniature golf, and more. Images and more details can be seen at the Tulsa World website here.

The representatives from Hampton were clear that the plan they were presenting was conceptual in nature – none of the designs or installations were finalized. They were open to the ideas presented by the public and said those kinds of amendments could be made once state money was secured.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission revolving fund monies have not yet been released; that grant fund is expected to open in the First Quarter of 2024.

During the discussion, Ward 1 Councilor Brenda Conley spoke up and expressed a desire for the Oklahoma Route 66 Association to be included in discussions going forward. Ward 6 Councilor Teresa O’Donnell also spoke up about maintenance and upkeep, which were not addressed within the budget. That item was deferred for later consideration.

After the presentation and discussion, the Catoosa City Council voted unanimously to approve the acceptance of the Blue Whale Master Plan. City Manager John Blish reiterated that the plan was a conceptual document designed to present to the state for grant funding. Hampton Creative reassured the public that saving the ARK is something they had discussed and is very much something that could be done.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Association looks forward to working with the City of Catoosa and Hampton Creative to help shape this concept into a workable reality that enhances the experience of the overall site while paying tribute to the legacy of Hugh and Zelta Davis.