The City of Hamilton has determined it will cost a minimum of $150,0001 to restore and repair a long neglected municipal memorial clock tower on King Street East at Jarvis Street in the International Village Business Improvement Area.
The clock is non-functional, its bronze memorial plaque removed due to vandalism, and no City department claimed ownership of it.
In a report, requested through a motion by Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, the City’s Conservator-Public Art researched the state of the nationally registered memorial, and produced a six-page report for City Council’s Downtown Sub-Committee.
Director of Tourism and Culture Lisa Abbott states, in the report, that no City division was responsible for the clock. She adds that her division is taking responsibility for it moving forward, and is working to determine accurate cost estimates for restoration, relocation, and ongoing operation of the memorial clock.
With Light Rail Transit construction planned in the coming years, the City will need to make a decision regarding the future of the clock because it will need to be moved prior to construction. The City plans to charge disassembly and storage costs to the Province as being LRT-related.
The report states the clock was purchased in 1989 by the old City of Hamilton for $150,000 and installed as part of a Downtown Action Plan.1
The clock includes bells that once rang the Westminster Chime each quarter hour as a memorial to lives lost in service during the War of 1812, Fenian Raids, Boer War, the Great War (World War I), World War II, Korean War, and among U.N. Peacekeeping Forces.
It is unclear when the clock ceased functioning.
A decision regarding the future of the clock is scheduled to be made at the August 13, 2026, Downtown Sub-Committee meeting.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: June 10, 2026
Last updated: June 10, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
- The City of Hamilton estimate does not include labour or internal staff costs. ↩︎
- The City of Hamilton funded the project through a Downtown Action Plan. The City officially categorizes the purchase as a “donation.” This publication states it was purchased by the City because the purchased was completed with City of Hamilton funds. ↩︎