Another Town Basin jewel with near-completion of unique time-keeper

Another Town Basin jewel with near-completion of unique time-keeper BY JODI BRYANT

Another jewel in the crown of Whangārei's Town Basin is a step closer with the nearcompletion of a world-unique rolling ball clock.

The million-dollar project has been around 12 years in the making since a group of locals came up with the idea for a small rolling-ball timepiece after being inspired by a ball clock at Claphams Clock Museum.

With the aim of creating a kinetic timemeasuring 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 (WDC) accepted the clock as a gift and allocated a site next to Claphams at the Town Basin. And so began the years of fundraising and construction.

Measuring 6m long, 4m wide and 3m tall 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 is 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 structure focuses on the Maori moon calendar and will provide educational opportunities for schools to show children mathematics, physics and the cultural aspect of the ball clock.

The machine was built by Absolute Stainless with Cook Costello carr ying out the glass-walled enclosure.

The Rolling Ball Clock is about to undergo the final acceptance testing – an intensive four-six-week period of 24/7 operation to confirm its performance, in particular its reliability and accuracy.

The construction of concrete foundations onsite at the Town Basin have also begun. Project manager Warren Thomas said, once these are finished within the month, and the clock has passed its final acceptance tests, the clock will be shifted onto its foundation and have the glass enclosure fitted and connected to the power system.

“The installation of the glass is the second-tolast step in the project. The last is the installation of the Pou. This is central to telling the cultural story of what the clock represents. This will occur immediately prior to the official ceremonial opening. At this stage, we will be looking at some time in August for this to happen,” he explained.

At a recent viewing, About Time committee member Sandra McKersey was delighted with the outcome so far. "Once the balls started rolling, those who have worked so hard for so long were well-rewarded for their tenacity and determination." "It will be another jewel in the crown of Whangārei's Town Basin."

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