A Squamish landmark will get with the times this winter thanks to an ambitious student project.For four years, residents and visitors alike have looked up to the 25-year-old Rotary clock, which stands prominently on the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Winnipeg Street, only to read the wrong time. Now downtown private training institute the Academy of Learning is taking on the cause with a project they're calling "There's no time like the present."
"We'd look out the window and say 'Darn, that clock never works!' We all laugh about it. It's a little joke," said Sonja McCarthy, the school's dmissions director. "But then we said 'Why don't we get together and make it a student project?' because at most computer schools, the students come in and they don't talk and socialize as much as normal schools."
Since conceiving of the project, students have been getting support from every group they've reached out to, said McCarthy. When contacted, Rotary Club representative Don Patrick suggested his service group and the students collaborate on a fundraiser to fix the clock. Municipal staff has been "amazingly good," providing support and a historical background. And nearby business owners have greeted the idea with enthusiasm.
"I walked around the area a little to see if the businesses were interested, and everybody was interested in donating something to help to start it," said McCarthy. "Everybody that we've talked to says 'That's a great idea!'" Over 25 years, the clock has remained the same - other than taking on various shades of paint - and for 16 of those years, long-time resident Carl Ingraham voluntarily took on the responsibility of tending to its mechanism. About four years ago Ingraham had to retire from the chore, and no has taken up the cause. It's unsure yet whether the timepiece will need a major overhaul or if much of it will be salvageable, but either way, project organizers have a plan, said McCarthy.
"If they have to take the old head off the clock -because the devices inside of it are too large for the clock itself - if we do, we'd give that to the Squamish Historical Society's new museum. This was from the students - we have to wait until the Rotary approves all this." The students' enthusiasm has even generated an anthem - a folk tune honouring the clock - that residents will get a chance to hear during a fundraising campaign blitz later this month.
McCarthy said she anticipates the project will take a few more months to complete, and in the meantime asks residents wishing to donate, or with any information or history on the clock to share it with project co-ordinators at 604-815-0077 or [email protected].
"We're trying to get together to make the town nicer for all," said McCarthy. "We're very excited about it. We're hoping the town will join in and help out as well."
