Patron Graham Brice and project organiser Warren Thomas get an up-close view of the workings of the clock. Photo / Tania Whyte.
Patron Graham Brice and project organiser Warren Thomas get an up-close view of the workings of the clock. Photo / Tania Whyte.
Another jewel in the crown of Whangārei's Town Basin is a step closer with the near-completion of a world-unique rolling ball clock.
The million-dollar project has been about 12 years in the making since a group of locals came up with the idea for a small rolling-ball timepiece after beinginspired by a ball clock at Claphams Clock Museum.
With the aim of creating a kinetic time-measuring sculpture that not only tells the time but also provides a major tourist attraction with educational and cultural values, the About Time team was formed.
Following the successful construction of a full-size working demonstration model in 2016, the Whangārei District Council accepted the clock as a gift and allocated a site for the clock next to Claphams at the Town Basin. And so began the years of fundraising and construction.
Measuring 6m x 4m x 3m high and with a striking wave form roof, the glass-enclosed kinetic sculpture weighs 20 tonnes. It comprises 35 balls speeding around on stainless steel tracks to reveal the physics of time. They perform various physical motions like banked corners, loop-the-loop, ride-in elevators, as well as telling the time via timing racks.
The racks indicate the time of day by the number of balls resting on them. Adjacent to the position of each ball is a number corresponding to the seconds, minutes and hours of time the clock in indicating.
For example, the uppermost rack is the one-minute display. The addition of the 60-second ball causes the rack to overbalance and discharge all the balls.
The rolling ball clock committee and partners enjoy the display of the Rolling Ball Clock under construction at Absolute Stainless. Photo / Tania Whyte.
A viewing was held this week at Absolute Stainless, who built the machine (Cook Costello did out the glass-walled enclosure). About Time committee member Sandra McKersey said the visit was inspirational.
"Once the balls started rolling, those who have worked so hard for so long were well-rewarded for their tenacity and determination."
She said the rolling ball clock will go through six weeks of testing early next year before being transported in its completed form with the official opening sometime in the first half of the year.
"It will be another jewel in the crown of Whangarei's Town Basin."
The structure focuses on the Māori moon calendar and will provide educational opportunities for schools to show children mathematics, physics and the cultural aspect of the ball clock.
In total, the project cost just over $1 million. Funding came from a Provincial Growth Fund grant of $750,000, plus $110,000 from Whangārei District Council Community Funding and About Time committee's own fundraising of $100,000. Donations, labour and gifted materials came to $75,000.
McKersey said to support contingency funding there are a number of pavers available at a cost of $500 for businesses, families or individuals who want their support recognised in a permanent way.
Further information can be found at: www.rollingballclock.co.nz
