In the center of Kimberley, British Columbia, in a pedestrian zone known as Platzl, is the world’s tallest free-standing cuckoo clock.
It is 22 feet high, with Kimberly’s name at the bottom. If you put moons, an animatronic version of the city mascot, Happy Hans, comes out of the clock and iodizes.
The clock, a Bavarian-themed element all over Kimberley, has been at the heart of the city’s brand for 40 years – even if the city itself has never had strong immigrant ties with Germany or Austria.
“It was an era where people were doing things like the biggest sausage in the world and the biggest blue ox in the world,” said Matt Thompson, owner of Kimberley’s Story & Co., which led the community through a rebranding exercise a decade ago.
The center of Kimberley is designed to have a Bavarian feel, complemented by the world’s largest standing cuckoo clock. (Justin McElroy / CBC News)
“And they said, if we can do something like this, let’s develop the largest cuckoo clock in the world and see if people want to come and see.”
People wanted to see. As Kimberly developed a tourism industry to complement production in the 1970s and 1980s, the city’s accordion festivals and Bavarian-inspired architecture and events attracted visitors who would not otherwise know about the small community along the main highway.
But times are changing.
“A good place to be”
While the Bavarian theme attracts visitors to Kimberley, it does not necessarily attract new residents: in the 1980s and 1990s, the city’s population declined along with the decline and eventual closure of the Sullivan mine.
As the city became more famous for recreational opportunities in the 21st century, more and more young families began to move – and what Kimberly defined began to develop.
“The community was beginning to feel that the Bavarian theme was not authentic,” said Scott Somerville, Kimberly’s chief administrative officer.
“That really put Kimberly on the tourism map. But over time, he got a little tired.”
While most of the buildings in Platzl probably still have different architectures, their offerings are much more diverse than they were a few decades ago. (Justin McElroy / CBC News)
The city is working with Thompson’s company on a rebranding exercise, focusing on the slogan “Good place to live”, emphasizing the city’s lifestyle and less the older brands and architecture.
“Kimberly was an interesting community because they were very focused on the way it came about,” Thompson said.
“But the community was interested in celebrating what it was and celebrating what it aspired to be.”
A mixture of new and old
Today, Platzl is still a place with Happy Hans and buildings that look like shops in a German fairy tale.
But the former bakery, with a giant pretzel logo on the façade, is boarded up, and next to it is a bright yellow building with the words “wellness” and “mason bees” on the windows.
“I don’t know how important it is to move away from things, because it’s important to adopt new ideas,” said Randy Moody, co-owner of Moody Bee, who moved to Kimberley 12 years ago. “I don’t think it would have worked when we first moved here. But the city is evolving … we are one of the many contributors to the revitalization of the center and our business just fits.
“Believe it or not, people just love to come and try the flavors of lip balm and the different products we make.
One of the last shops in Platzl with a full Bavarian feel is the Yodelling Woodcarver Shop, home to bed linen, porcelain and wood carvings from all over Europe.
The Yodelling carving shop continues to sell authentic items from all over Europe, but is one of the last stores in Platzl to fully embrace the original Bavarian theme of the area. (Justin McElroy / CBC News)
Erika Unterberger ran it with her husband Adi for decades until he died last year. She says there are still many loyal customers, but the other gift shops in Kimberley, which contributed to the city’s theme in the 1970s and 1980s, have either given up or sold their businesses.
But when people go crazy in Happy Hans, she hears her husband one more time – while Adi’s voice makes a yodel for Hans.
“It’s good for me because I understand,” she said.
“You have to put yourself in other people’s shoes, don’t you?”
UPDATE: The mayor was happy for Hans to get out of the cuckoo clock.
Until recently, Kimberly. We may come back next week, we may not, but you are a wonderful community and I enjoyed talking about your charms. pic.twitter.com/oWenTYDMx0
– @ j_mcelroy
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