BROOKINGS – The Centennial Clock has been installed on the corner of Main Avenue and Fifth Street. The clock was a gift to the city of Brookings from The Rotary Club to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary.
“Thank you to the Brookings Rotary Club for their vision and contribution to our beautiful Downtown District,” Mayor Keith Corbett said on Thursday morning, after the clock was installed.
Don Norton, current president of the Brookings Rotary Club, told the Brookings City Council June 30 that in February 1920, Brookings had a population of 3,921 people; 21 of them started the local Rotary Club.
“Over the years, the club has made significant contribution to the vitality of our community; we’ve mirrored the growth and improved the quality of life along with the city,” Norton said. “This year, we’re celebrating our 100th anniversary with 100 members. It’s only natural that we celebrate by giving you a gift.”
The Rotary Club has worked with the Brookings Arts Council, the Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, the Historical Society, Brookings Municipal Utilities and city officials to bring the gift to reality.
The double-sided clock faces northeast and southwest. It features a plaque on the south-facing base that includes the Rotary motto of The Four-Way Test: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”
“We’re pleased to present to the city a 10-foot clock to stand at that southeast corner of Fifth Street and Main Avenue. We’re proud of our community and look forward to 100 more years of the Service Beyond Self,” Norton said.
“Great gift. People have been asking me for so long: when are we gonna get a clock on Main,” Corbett said at the June meeting.
