VERNON — A 100 year old clock tower in Vernon chimes once again.
Originally built in 1912 — the clock towered high above Vernon for decades. Then in 1959, the post office it was built above moved and not long after that building was torn down.
“It went into storage and it could have went into the dump but a couple guys thought maybe can do something with clock,” said Ron Candy, Vernon Museum’s Director/Curator.
The clock was then reposted outside the museum in the 1970s but a short time later it stopped working and once again it was taken down.
The community didn’t want it to be forgotten so two years ago with the help of museum curators and local machinists — and many hours of hard work, the restoration got underway.
“It was one of those projects where if you knew how much work it was going to be you might not get involved with it. But we were so excited about having a 14 foot tall tower clock inside museum,” said Candy.
The clock isn’t just any historical artifact; it represents a time when Vernon was a much different place.
The dial and the chime of the bell were woven into the community’s fabric. In many ways it was the heartbeat of the town.
“In 1912, no one had a wristwatch, no one had a walkman, a computer,” said Garry Garbutt, a machinist who helped rebuild the clock. “This synchronized the whole town. It governed everything, kids going to school, dad going to work, when you went to lunch.”
Vernon at that time was also burgeoning community full of commercial activity.
“It is a reminder of when Vernon was extremely affluent, in its architecture and what was going on,” said Candy. “The fruit industry was getting off the ground, and so many things were happening. The railway was operating, the light boats were operating. It was often referred to as the hub of the Okanagan.”
The restored tower will now sit inside the museum. Those involved hoping it’ll live another hundred years.
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