Community support is required for a historical treasure to keep ticking.
Restoration of the 1912 post office clock is underway but the Greater Vernon Museum needs $30,000 for the project.
“We have a ways to go,” said Ron Candy, curator, of the $8,000 raised to date.
“We’d like to move along quickly with it because we’d like to celebrate the anniversary of the clock.”
The clock was installed in Vernon’s post office a century ago, but it was removed when the building was demolished in 1959. Part of the mechanisms were placed inside a clock tower on 32nd Avenue in 1967 while others were sent to O’Keefe Ranch for storage.
Earlier this year, the city upgraded the clock tower and the original parts were donated to the museum, as were the pieces at the ranch.
The goal is to construct a tower inside the museum for the restored clock.
“There were quite a few pieces missing and it was sitting derelict for 53 years,” said Garry Garbutt, a volunteer putting the clock back together.
Some period pieces, like the pendulum, have been located and some gears have been manufactured.
The 14-foot-tall tower will be made from structural steel so it can hold 1,000 pounds of dials.
“It will take up a lot of real estate but it’s worth it because the clock is a significant Vernon artifact,” said Candy.
“There aren’t too many operating clocks inside where you can see the interior works.”
The tower will also feature exhibit space.
“We want to tell the story of the clock, the post office and postal history,” said Candy.
Donations for the project can be made at the museum at 3009 32nd Ave.
There is also a fundraising raffle underway with first prize being a 12-foot rowboat, followed by an Allan Brooks print for second prize and a three-year family membership to the museum as third prize. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10 and the draw date is Aug. 27.
Besides financial support, the museum is seeking other assistance.
“If anyone knows what happened to the clock’s original bell, it would be nice to know where it is,” said Candy.
“We are also looking for any photographs of inside the original tower with the bell and mechanisms.”
The museum can be reached at 250-542-3142.
