Plans to fix the Rotary Clock in downtown Red Deer have hit a snag.

Earlier this past summer, plans were confirmed with the American manufacturer of the clock, located at the corner of Ross St. and 49 Ave., to send a technician to Red Deer last month.

But local officials have since learned the manufacturer has gone bankrupt and is unable to complete the repairs. Two of the four clock faces are bent slightly and this creates a drag on the hands of the clock, resulting in the timepiece showing the wrong time. Numerous time resets were done but the problem has continued.

“This is very disappointing news for the City, the Rotary Club and residents,” said Charity Dyke, the City’s downtown coordinator.

“We will work quickly to find another vendor that might be able to complete the repairs and get the clock working once again.”

The clock has had the power disconnected and the time set to mid-day since early summer.

Meanwhile, the City and the Rotary Club of Red Deer will be looking for new vendors to check the clock, provide the necessary materials and complete the repairs.

“This clock is very important to the community,” said Phil Pattison, president of the Rotary Club of Red Deer. “It highlights both the citizen and the young person of the year, and is a wonderful feature of our downtown,” he said. “We owe it to the outstanding citizens featured on the clock to have the issue corrected as soon as possible.”

The clock was donated to the City in 2007.

Having a big public clock, says Pattison, “Is a gift to people, and it helps make Red Deer just a little nicer place. For many of us, it brings back pleasant memories of older times and makes the downtown more livable. The City deserves a lot of credit for it’s time and money in finding a home for the clock, building a base for it and doing the maintenance on it.”

mweber@reddeerexpress.com