Is the Gastown Clock THAT Unique?

When walking through downtown Vancouver and approaching Gastown, one will see all the tourists gathered around one unassuming attraction, the Gastown steam clock. While Gastown is one of the oldest areas of Vancouver, the clock itself, despite its ancient appearance, was built in 1977. So, was it only created to get out-of-town tourists into the area to take pictures, or is there more to it? 

Raymond Saunders, the creator of the Gastown clock, created sister clocks to the Vancouver clock. For instance there is one in the Japanese town of Otaku. Like its YVR counterpart, it blows steam every a few times every hour and attracts numerous tourists to the otherwise quiet town. He also built a similar one in Indianapolis but that one looks more modern than its international sisters. 

The steam clock features a steam engine manufactured in England, typically used by hobbyists for powering large model boats, and its mechanism was inspired by a British clock tower design from 1875. Despite its name, the old timekeeper is only partially steam-powered.

Though the steam clock is far from a new attraction, the clock was programmed to play part of the chorus of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” when the Eras Tour was in town. However, some fans noted that the tune was almost unrecognizable from the original song!

While the steam clock is a part of Vancouver’s iconography, Vancity is not the only town that boasts having a famous clock as an attraction. The most famous example is Big Ben in London, one of most visited sites in the world, but there are also numerous others like the Clock Tower of Mecca in Mecca or the Tuileries Clock in Paris. 

While the Gastown steam clock may repel locals trying to get to work/move around in Vancouver, it does attract numerous tourists to the city. Sometimes, less is more and Gastown clock is just that. Are you fond of the Gastown steam clock?