The Avalon Chime Tower still chimes at fifteen minute intervals from eight o’clock in the morning until eight-thirty in the evening. While the chimes are charming, the tower facility, itself, could use a little tender loving care.
We hiked up to the tower and had an up-close look. The building is missing some roofing tiles although the decorative Catalina tiles look pretty good. The building is cracked in several places, the door on the west side needs repair and the area around the tower is a bit overgrown.
Now, I don’t know how the building gets its financial support nor do I want to take any supporters to task, but it is such a beautiful and historic instrument and it deserves better. From a distance, however, the chime tower is as charming as ever.
I took this photo with my Canon EOS and telephoto lens from the balcony of our hotel room. Click on the thumbnail above for full-size in the viewer.
Quite a beautiful tower, indeed.
It really is – I just wish someone would give it a little love!
Very nice indeed, but who built it? Are they still responsible for it?
I posted an article in February, 2006 about the chime tower:
http://capnbob.us/blog/2006/02/09/damsel-sends-you-a-chime-tower/
It was built as a gift to the City of Avalon from Ada Wrigley, wife of William Wrigley Jr. (of Doublemint and Chicago Cubs owners fame). The island is now managed by a Conservancy that seems to maintain other things. I’m not sure whether the Conservancy or the City of Avalon would be responsible.