City repairs, upgrades downtown clock

For more than a quarter of a century, the clock at the corner of Front and Commercial streets has stood its lone vigil as the downtown’s herald of time.

In recent weeks, though, people may have noticed that it has been derelict in performing its duties. The clock’s internals were worn down after years of use, causing it to cease to function.

However, the solemn timekeeper has been given a new lease on life, as the city has replaced the clockworks this week. Crews with Verdin Bells and Clocks completed the repairs on Monday, said City Manager Kevin Anderson.

“We had the materials sent to us around a week and a half ago,” Anderson said. “They came out on [Monday] and took care of it. Our crews were out there with them as well, and it was a pretty cool process to watch.”

Verdin, which is based out Cincinnati, initially installed the timepiece more than 20 years ago, Anderson said. Wolverine Mutual Insurance, whose name is displayed on the face, donated the clock itself to the city.

“They helped out just recently,” Anderson said. “Some of the signage had worn out, so they went out and got those updated for us.”

However, the age of the previous parts made not only routine repairs difficult, but in some cases, impossible, as some components were no longer being manufactured.

With that in mind, the city decided to simply replace the old parts with updated ones, spending around $3,500 to overhaul the system.

“This clock will give us more options than the last one,” he said. “It will automatically adjust itself for daylight’s savings time, and it provides us with electronic remote access. We can do some maintenance work now without

having to go out there and remove the mechanism.”

The city crews present during the installation Monday got a first-hand look at how to handle the new internal mechanism, so any repair work will likely to be able to be performed in-house.

Analog time faces continue to be waning in usage, with most people today eschewing even personal watches in favor of using their phones to check the time and date. However, downtown’s lone clock continues to be a priority for the city, even if it’s primarily for ceremonial purposes.

“A downtown has a certain aesthetic feel, and things like clock fixtures are part of the elements that help make it feel like a comfortable, inviting environment,” Anderson said. “We want to make sure it continues to feel that way, and maintaining our clock is just one part of doing so.”