Harold Claffey address city council about his memories for the city hall bellsMore information is needed before Moose Jaw’s city council can make a final decision on funding for two historical City Hall bells.

The Heritage Advisory Committee had recommended that council approve $15,000 to build a stand for the original City Hall bell and $45,000 to repair the glass and bell in City Hall’s clock tower.

Coun. Crystal Froese said the repairs to the glass need to be done before the clock tower bell can become operational again.

“It’s in such disrepair that there is fear that if the bell was to actually ring it would probably cause a lot of breakage, which is a safety issue,” Froese said.

The recommendations were sent back to administration for a report because it would use reserve funds.

The original bell is over 111 years old and was originally used at City Hall to signal evening curfew and served as the city’s fire alarm.

Harold Claffey is a citizen in favour of the restorations and he addressed city council on Monday night.

Claffey recalled, when he was a child, the original bell was moved from City Hall to St. George’s Anglican Church at the corner for 10th Avenue Northwest and Montgomery Street.

“Some of the fine younger citizens of the city took it upon themselves to see if the bell worked,” Claffey remembered. “Henceforth, the cord was shortened and put higher on the stand that was provided for it.”

Eventually, that bell was moved from the church and placed in Crescent Park just outside of the art gallery. When the bell was removed, it’s location became a mystery until a couple of years ago when it was found in the city yards. It has since been restored by volunteers at Sask. Poly Tech, but needs a “derrick” or stand.

The second bell is newer and still sits in the clock tower, but it is believed it was last rang in the early 1960s.

According to Claffey, St. Aiden’s Anglican Church has the prairie provinces’ only full-octave bells. He thought to have the city bells as well as St. Aiden’s bells fully operational would be unique to the prairies.

“If both bells are restored and put into use, I’m suggesting that there be a bell concert in downtown Moose Jaw,” he said. “Unlike that which would be available anywhere else in the prairies.”