The old bell in the bell tower at Marvin’s Garden Park has been silent for years. In fact at the most recent Ballard District Council meeting, no one could recall it ringing regularly. The Ballard Historical Society wants to change that. The group has applied for a Small and Simple grant through the city to automate the bell and already has $18,000 in volunteer pledges.
This Saturday is the kickoff event for the “Bring the Ring Back” campaign. At 2:15 p.m. the bell will ring to celebrate Bertha Davis’ 97th birthday. As a lifelong Ballardite (who taught at Webster school for 50 years), she wants this project completed.
If the group gets funding to automate the bell, it can be programmed, for instance, to ring everyday at noon. The bell can also be used for special occasions such as the start of the 17th of May Parade, Seafood Fest and other community activities.
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I like it. I like it a lot.
How can one make a small donation?
“Save the Clock Tower!”
$18,000 in volunteer pledges, and no one wants to volunteer to just walk across the street and ring it manually?
where is Quasimodo when you need him?
This idea is a ringer! I like it!
For $18K, I’ll ring it on Bertha Davis’ birthday. But really folks, isn’t the bell over at St. Alphonsus annoying enough.
Considering the businesses closest to the bell, perhaps automating it to ring at “last call” would be most useful.
Why not give a quarter to one of the hobos planted there every time they ring the bell?
I’d rather give the bums a taxi fare to go ring a bell in some other neighborhood full of suckers.
Ballard Historical Society.
You’re just mad because it says “$18,000 in volunteer pledges” rather than “$18,000 in kickbacks.”
This is so Stars Hollow…
yeah, tell me about it.
reminds me of the time Luke nearly drove my jeep into a tree because I was singing Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell” too freakin’ loud for his soft boy ears.
Maybe if you hadn’t worn cut off jean shorts to my first day of school you would have been a better mother.
Really? Really? A church bell annoys you? Goodness, I never believed what they say about Ballard being stuffy and cranky but you may have just changed my mind.
Bertha Davis – oh goodness, she was my neighbor for many years. Our backyards were each other. I would like to touch basis with her. I volunteered at Adams Elementary and knew her there also. Anyone have any idea?
I suggest contacting the Ballard Historical Society. I’m sure they’ll be able to forward your information to her. BHS can be reached at: (206) 992-7010 / president@ballardhistory.org
You don’t touch basis with another person. You don’t even touch bases. You just touch base.
Who doesn’t like a little kickback? It’s minty fresh like a Tic-Tac. It’s like a snack attack. All it takes is a nick-nack patty-wack.