12/08/2026
There have been a few people who have criticized the Water Tank Project. Arguments mostly seem centered on "But you are covering up history." or "What about those classes who put their class year up there."
When this project was first proposed, discussed, debated and approved, in 2018 and 2019 this issues were certainly things we took seriously.
Here's our take on this, now, eight years later as we re-launch the effort.
FIRST THING - Outdoor art of this nature is something that is ALWAYS transitory. It changes. Ity does not last forever, nor is it meant to. There are dozens upon dozens of beautiful murals in Sierra County, mostly in T-or-C. I have seen some painted over others that had been there before. Even a couple that I was sorry to see covered by a new one, but oh well, that is the nature of this sort of art.
SECOND THING - Has anyone actually LOOKED at those tanks up close lately? I have. Many times. There was scrawling script sprayed over other scrawling script. There were numbers that were changed to be other numbers (97 became 99 for one) an nd the entire things was looking pretty trashed out... Yes, in my opinion.
Phase Two will place Tiger Art, likely the iconic Tiger Head in HUGE form, on the tank closest to the new press box/concession stand, as seen in the artists rendition included in the photos for this post. It will be bigger than the one shown, likely at least 40 feet by 30 feet. ALL other art that goes on the first tank, that one furthest from the press box will be much larger, so as to be better viewed both from the stadium and the road.
These city owned tanks were entrusted to We Are Tigers in 2019, well, the outside of them anyway, to be beautified and turned into huge testimonials to the creativity, spirit and heart of our students, and to be a source of pride for schools, students and community.
Will everyone like it? NO, of course not. Will whatever we do last forever? NO, of course not.
Yes, we will be talking with the Annual Student Art Show folks. We Are Tigers is in fact, an original and ongoing sponsor of the Art Show.
For now though, we are open to suggestions, donations and ideas to be considered. In the end, we hope that Tiger Town can embrace the project as it grows.
