News

Actions

Tiger In East Nashville Yard Turning Heads

Posted at 7:39 PM, Jul 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-27 21:01:05-04

A property being developed in East Nashville has grabbed a lot of attention not because of the redevelopment, but because there is a tiger in the front yard. 

Don't worry, the tiger isn't real, it's put there in good fun, but it's fooled a lot of people walking and driving by. 

"We're always looking to see what's going on now," Jean Stewart, a neighbor said, adding that East Nashville is constantly changing, and there are plenty of unique additions each day. "I said, let me walk down and see what it is." 

Others who grew up in East Nashville remember there being a house at the corner of Eastland and Skyview, where the tiger is located, and one East Nashville native had to do a double-take when driving by.

"I was going down through here, I seen it, and I had to go back around to make sure I'd seen the right thing," Ronnie King said. 

The name of the tiger is "Tigger" and was placed on the property in good fun. 

"Trying to bring smiles to people's faces," Deborah Martinez, grant administrator for the Boedecker Foundation, said. 

Philanthropist and businessman George Boedecker is responsible for putting the tiger on the property, which he is redeveloping into a new traditional-style home.

While Boedecker normally focuses on putting his efforts toward helping local charities and non-profits, he thought the addition of Tigger would be a fun way to enhance the neighborhood. 

"He just loves Nashville and loves what's happening here and wants to see it beautified," Martinez said of Boedecker. 

Tigger was put in over the weekend and already has people talking of what could come next.

"It might get something started over here, next think you know, we'll have a zoo," King exclaimed. 

Martinez said it's possible a bear and a lion could be added to the display.

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! 

Boedecker said he plans to keep the tiger on the property even after the home is built for the neighborhood to enjoy.