Chronicle Editorial: We already have a Dummy Light, do we need a Dummy Clock? [Update: The clock strikes…]

This evening the village Board of Trustees will consider using $10,706 in parkland funds towards installation of a clock in the Maple Commons "pocket park."

Small Two-Dial Howard Clock/ Electric Time Company

As some Crotonites may recall, the original concept for use of the former “Katz property” put forward by Croton officials, when the village bought the land, called for a mixed use that would have provided a fair bit of public space in addition to possible residential and commercial development.

But as time went on, the amount of public space in the plan shrunk considerably. By the time the village put out a Request for Proposals in September 2020, the envisioned public space was much smaller. The accepted proposal by Regan Development to build what is now called Maple Commons was on the low end.

What we have now is a very small “pocket park” on the south edge of the project, which hardly anyone ever uses. That’s probably because it sits at a very busy intersection, with cars whizzing by producing noise and exhaust fumes. Not even the residents of Maple Commons seem to be using it. We’ve asked around, in addition to our own observations, and it appears that visitations are very rare.

We need that context to assess the proposed Resolution, on the Board of Trustees agenda for this evening November 20, to spend $10,706 of village parkland funds to install a replica clock in the park. The village has already received $6000 in donations towards the total estimated $16,706 price for the clock, from Clean Path New York and the Regan Development Corporation; so the village would be footing the rest of the cost.

We don’t deny that the clock in question, a Small Two Dial Howard Replica Street Clock from Electric Time Company of Medfield, Massachusetts, is very handsome. Among its features are a cast aluminum post, saddle and head – no plastic or fiberglass components—a 24 inch dial, and GPS satellite synchronization.

We can understand why village officials might want to install it. The pocket park sits in a strategic location in our so-called “gateway” area, which is supposed to provide a welcoming impression to visitors to Croton when they first arrive here. But unfortunately, the pocket park itself does not seem to be very welcoming, and for the most part nobody is using it. Will the clock make up for that in some way, or will it just draw more attention to what has become a sad and desultory space?

(If the clock really keeps accurate time, it might serve some kind of useful function, although we look at our smart phones so often that few of us do not already know what time it is already.)

We are all in favor of beautifying the village, and we don’t want to seem mean. But if it sometimes seems as though our Board of Trustees spends money like a bunch of drunken sailors, there might be a reason for that. (No disrespect meant to our men and women in service, of course.)

Let’s hope at least there is some discussion among the trustees this evening before they put the rubber stamp on this one. Could the money be better spent doing more landscaping in the pocket park to make it more attractive to visitors and residents? Could it be better spent on some important project for one of our other parks?

We think this could be a very timely discussion. Let’s make some time for it.

November 20, 2024, 1:15 PM/ Photo by Michael Balter

Update November 21: At last evening’s Board of Trustees meeting, it turned out that the trustees loved the clock idea, or at least said they did, and there were no dissenting voices. Villager Manager Bryan Healy emphasized that the money for it did not come out of “taxpayer funds,” but rather the parklands fund which is paid for by developers (except those that will now be exempt.) Nevertheless, the money comes out of funds that rightly and by law belong to the people of Croton. It is our money that is being spent.

Before voting on the resolution to pay for the clock, the trustees invited Planning Board member Steve Krisky to the podium to make some brief remarks. It turned out that the concept for the clock was largely Krisky’s idea. That surprised us, because Krisky is normally one of the more sensible presences on the Planning Board during its own deliberations.

Krisky told the Board that the clock represented “the joy in celebrating our past” and that it would become “a Croton icon we can take pride in.”

We hate to be rude, but this is pure rubbish. A replica clock, designed and built by a company that obviously caters to and profits from pretentious sentiments in some communities, does not represent Croton’s past in any way. It is unlikely to become an icon in the way that the Dummy Light or other Croton landmarks rooted deep in village history already are. Perhaps if the village had a history of clockmaking, but as far as we know, it does not.

If a landmark of some kind must be put in the pocket park to provide it with some symbolic reference, perhaps an artist could be commissioned to create a sculpture that really does represent Croton’s past, which is most closely associated with the railroad. We will leave it to the imaginations of others to come up with ideas if they want to; but of course, in this instance it is too late. The clock has struck, and to many villagers, rightly or wrongly—including those who are now packing up and leaving—the future of the village seems all too clear.

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