Small CA town wants to save its downtown clock. It’s only right twice a day
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- City sells $35 “Time Well Spent” shirts; CVOF will match shirt-sale dollars.
- Bob Hart Square renovation due by Christmas; new clock expected to arrive spring.
- Merced launches a $77,000 crowdfunding campaign to replace downtown clock.
It’s about time for a new community clock in downtown Merced, according to the organizations working to raise funds for the project.
The clock in Bob Hart Square has been broken for several years, according to Chris Jensen, Merced’s director of parks and recreation.
The city’s original plan was to fix the clock as part of its project to revitalize the square, which began in March. But the city determined it would be too expensive because the clock’s internal mechanism requires extensive repairs and would require ongoing maintenance by a specialist.
A community clock has stood in downtown Merced since at least 1927, though it has been replaced before and was also moved from across the street to where it stands now in Bob Hart Square. The current clock has been downtown since 1979.
Jensen said there was discussion of just removing the clock, but he “reached out to some of our community stakeholders … and Central Valley Opportunity Fund and the Merced County Historical Society … came to the table and said, ‘We would like to work with you to try to get this replaced.’”
The estimated cost to replace the clock is $77,000, which the city of Merced is raising through a crowdfunding campaign.
The city announced the community fundraising initiative in a Facebook post on Nov. 18, encouraging Merced residents to “be a part of history by investing in our future!”
The post continued: “Most have noticed the beautiful development of Bob Hart Square over the last several months. One aspect of the project we are asking community support with is the replacement of the iconic clock in downtown.
“Thanks to the Central Valley Opportunity Fund, every dollar raised from T-shirt sales will be matched by their foundation.”
How to Merced residents can donate
The public can donate in two ways: The first is to purchase a T-shirt from the city. The shirts come in two styles and four colors and read “Time Well Spent in Bob Hart Square Merced, CA.” They cost $35, though supporters can donate more at the time of purchase.
Shirts are available at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/zfv2b83n. Sixty shirts have already been sold, raising $1,198 so far.
The city is also working with United Way to set up a page to receive donations over $1,000.
Jensen acknowledged, “We all understand that $35 is above a lot of people’s means,” and added that sharing the posts on social media is another helpful way to contribute to the project.
This isn’t the first time the Merced community has stepped up to invest in the city’s landmarks. Earlier this year when the Merced Applegate Park Zoo sign was stolen, it was replaced through donations, according to Jensen. The Laura fountain in Applegate Park was also renovated through private donations.
The Bob Hart Square renovation is already underway and expected to be completed by Christmas. Jensen said the clock will arrive in the spring and the city plans to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 9:52 AM with the headline "Small CA town wants to save its downtown clock. It’s only right twice a day."
