Changing times for parade’s floral clock
The Napier City Council has chimed-in right on time with an announcement confirming the saving of the Marine Parade floral clock less than 48 hours before tomorrow morning’s switch to daylight savings.
The embedded timepiece, with a 3.75-metre big hand and a little hand measuring 2.75 metres, was gifted to the city by the now-late Arthur Hurst in 1955 and put in place during the War Memorial building construction.
It will be moved a few metres to the south, as part of the War Memorial Restoration Project.
It will be yet another reflection of the changing times, with the clock having moved once before.
Initially facing the road, the clock shifted in 1995 to face south to fit in with development of the War Memorial Centre forecourt.
Deputy mayor and War Memorial Reference Group member Annette Brosnan describes moving the floral clock as a practical solution that also acknowledges the importance of retaining the Hurst family’s gift to Napier.
“The heritage architects noted its importance, and this way people can continue to move back and forth to the building and in future, the memorial,” she said.
Landscaping of the clock, which will be relocated several metres south towards the Sound Shell, would complement the overall look of the War Memorial design, which will include water features, plaques with the names of the fallen, and the eternal flame.
Public gardens staff and nursery teams were also in favour of this option, seeing it as an opportunity to enhance the clock’s plantings and “bookend a beautiful space in our city”, a council statement said.
A decision of council during the People and Places committee meeting was required to enable the project to continue to advance — lockdown has had an impact on progress.
Mayor Kirsten Wise said that she’s “thrilled” the council has moved another step closer to the restoration of the War Memorial elements.
“I know the community are as excited as I am to see this happening,” she said.
The Hurst family’s gift was inspired by floral clocks they had seen on their travels to California and England.
Arthur Hurst, a renowned Napier photographer, was a member of the Thirty Thousand Club that had focused on beautifying Marine Parade since the 1920s.
Members of the Hurst family have given the relocation their blessing, the council said.
A survey of the restoration site is under way, and the preliminary design phase is due to be completed next week.