Depicted on the side of the used-to-be white structure is a painting of the high school’s mustang mascot and also the comic-strip star Ziggy, that’s actually drawn by cartoonist Tom Wilson himself back in 1975.
Unfortunately, the city has announced that both artworks cannot be saved through the renovation process, prompting many residents to express their outrage on the city’s Facebook page.
In a Facebook comment, the City of Strongsville Government explained:
A note about Ziggy: We tried to have him repainted, but could not get permission. As many know, Ziggy creator Tom Wilson painted his famous character on the tower himself. The city contacted the family/company that owns the rights to Ziggy now, but they were not interested in returning our little mascot to the tower. And no, they can’t paint around him — he’s very faded, anyway. We’ll miss him, too.
When a commentor called BS on this explanation, the city said that in fact the city of Cleveland owns the tower and that the only choice Strongsville had in the matter of painting was the color (which still hasn’t been announced).
Painters are currently gearing up to start the freshening up process.
R.I.P. Ziggy.
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It’s nice that people in Strongsville have so little to complain about that this is a big deal.
This is the wrong Ziggy.
It has always been the wrong Ziggy.
Student from Strongsville High class of 1975 put “Ziggy” on the water tower in honor of Ziggy Stardust; not the cartoon character. And city father’s got it wrong.
It’s been wrong for 40 years. An epic mistake, for sure.
Time for the truth to come out.