Michelle Griffith - The Spectrum Magazine

Lit and Accurate:
The Broadway Clock Is Telling Time Again
After more than an estimated 10 years of
telling the wrong time and not being seen
at night, the “post clock” on Broadway at
Jefferson in downtown Redwood City has
been completely revived and runs on time.
The project was a labor of love between community volunteers and the City of Redwood City. The
improvements to the clock began when Joachim Groeger confirmed that the clock had been gutted and
transformed from a mechanical clock to an electrical one. The clock is currently connected to the same
electrical circuit as the Christmas lights on the Broadway street trees. The city hired Al Pacheco to do
the electrical work needed to get the clock running.
The entire project took a skilled team and several weeks to finish. John Gammon of the city’s Public
Works Services department and Groeger spent several days at the Broadway site, and some time at their
shops, cleaning and painting pieces of the clock.
Soon thereafter, Groeger discovered light bulbs inside the clock and replaced the bulbs. The clock now
lights up at night.
Groeger also bought and replaced the clock “crystals,” or shatterproof vinyl panels. He cut the
crystals to shape, removed and prepped the bezels (metallic rings), caulked the rims to the outer bezel
and reinstalled them himself. He also removed and painted the clock hands and changed the electrical
movement of the clock to set the time.
Throughout several visits to the clock (about nine), Gammon and team set up their truck and tools near
the clock. They assisted Groeger by providing a one-man bucket and lifting him up to the clock face.
During those visits Gammon also prepped and painted the entire clock.
Redevelopment project manager for the City of Redwood City Claudia Olalla praised the collaboration
in fixing the clock and stated a huge “Thank you for all involved and caring about Redwood City!” Of
Groeger she said, “You made us open our eyes and see a wonderful jewel in downtown that had been lost
and neglected.”
“You made us open our eyes
and see a wonderful jewel
in downtown that had been
lost and neglected.”
Joachim Groeger and city staff work on the Broadway clock. Great job!
The Spectrum 23