Silver Spring’s unofficial mascots will return later this month.
Montgomery County plans to unveil an updated version of “Penguin Rush Hour” on March 29 at a 9 a.m. ceremony in downtown Silver Spring.
The original 100-foot-long, 25-panel plywood mural had hung below the Colesville Road rail bridge for more than 15 years until it was taken down in 2006 because of the construction of the nearby Silver Spring Transit Center.
The original work had been damaged by the weather over the years, so the county commissioned a weather-resistant replica to be printed on aluminum by the Washington, D.C., design firm Dodge-Chrome.
The panels are weather- and graffiti- resistant and were created to be easily reproduced should they be damaged, according to the Silver Spring Urban District.
The original version of the artwork was created by artist Sally Callmer and depicts penguins at a Metro stop. Callmer’s work won a public art contest and was scheduled to originally be displayed by Metro for one year. However, the public grew attached to it and Metro decided to purchase the work and permanently display it.
When it was taken down, the county also took the time to restore it. Some of the funds for restoring the original were raised through a “Pennies for Penguins” campaign that solicited public donations at events such as the Silver Spring Jazz Festival in September and the Montgomery County Thanksgiving parade held in downtown Silver Spring. The original panels have been stored by the Silver Spring Urban District for many years.
The mural reproduction is now owned by the county, as is the original, and both will be maintained by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, according to the Silver Spring Urban District.
Also, the penguin is not the official mascot of Silver Spring, because the official mascot is an acorn.
