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City of Edmond City Council Meeting
Local artist Nathan Pratt has a plan to develop an art project honoring Oklahoma aviation legend Wiley Post, on city-owned property near Route 66 and Post Road.
Pratt presented his vision to the Edmond City Council earlier this month. No action was taken.
The proposed art piece would depict Wiley Post wearing the pressure suit he designed and holding the helmet, which could contain illumination, Pratt said.
He said the art piece would likely be manufactured from stainless steel and would sit on a pedestal to help elevate the figure to increase visibility. The planned overall height is 50 feet, but the method of manufacture will facilitate scaling the figure up or down as needed.
Pratt said the scale of the art piece has the potential to serve as a standalone attraction for travelers along Route 66.
“I was born and raised in Oklahoma,” he said. “I grew up in a family of artists. I sold my first sculpture over 30 years ago. I'm here to talk to you a little bit about Wiley Post. This is a bronze model that I created about 10 years ago. This sculpture project started off very small. It is a decade in development. As a proud Oklahoman, I believe Wiley Post is one of our favorite sons. He's an icon of our state.”
The City Council was told there are two properties that may be suited for the project. One property abuts the south side of Route 66, directly west of Post Road.
The other property is Edmond Route 66 Park, which is located on the northwest corner of Route 66 and Post Road.
The recently completed Arcadia Lake Master Plan contains a concept of a roadside park and bicycle pump track for the property that abuts the south side of Route 66. I
Pratt suggested that the art piece could be a complementary addition to the roadside park, and installation could occur prior to or without subsequent development of the bicycle park.
The artist also suggests an area near Edmond Route 66 Park, on the north-east corner of that intersection, as a potential location for the sculpture. Additional site assessment and feasibility evaluations will need to occur prior to determining the most suitable placement within either property. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board reviewed both locations and decided the location south of Route 66 at the proposed roadside park would be their preference, although they would also support locating the art piece on the northern property.
Pratt said he has a unique history of Route 66.
“Fifteen years ago, I started selling my small chainsaw sculptures in the Arcadia District, and so I feel like my personal arc as an artist has brought me to this place,” he said. “Route 66 attractions like this whimsical pop bottle sculpture (Pops in Arcadia) are common across the country. This Wiley Post monument is hopefully going to be the next iconic attraction along Route 66."
Mayor Darrell Davis expressed his concerns about the project.
“The current location you're looking at is a road where we're planning on having a roadside park there where there's also supposed to be a pump track there for bicycles,” Davis said. “For me to want it to go there, those two, they have to marry out. I don't want the statue to be taken away from the pump track because that idea was there first. There's got to be coordination with the aviation industry and neighbors who could possibly see it and all that other stuff. But those are my concerns that I would like to be addressed.”
Pratt said he plans to raise the project’s needed funds through private donations, and hopes to have the installation completed for the centennial of Route 66 in 2026.
"We're eager to work with the city and the parks department and all the entities involved that would collaborate," he said. "My hope is to be flexible and partner with all the entities that would help bring this project to reality."