Pioneer Avenue’s old Clock Tower and memories of its past glory

The clock tower along Pioneer Avenue is one of the oldest standing structures in downtown Gensan. Strategically located at the center island right across the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College, it was built and donated ages ago by either the Mt. Matutum Lions Club or the General Santos City Lions Club, am not actually sure.

Unfortunately, I also couldn’t even remember a time when there was actually a functioning clock 30 feet up there giving the right time for the people traversing along Pioneer Avenue. If I can recall it correctly, it had more downtimes due to the numerous electrical blackouts before, and repairing it took a bit too much of the budget of the donor.  Eventually, it was abandoned and from the looks of it, forgotten for good.

A few months back, I heard from Rotary GenSan Prexy Bing Royeca that their club wants to rehabilitate the clock themselves but I guess nothing came out of it.

Actually, the solution is really just simple.

Why don’t someone just ask manufacturers of watches like TIMEX, SEIKO, SWATCH, ROLEX, TAGHAUER, etc to sponsor the whole thing and donate a giant clock themselves?   That’s free advertisement for at least a decade for them, or until their clock conks out.   Has nobody ever thought about that?

In the meantime, the old clock tower just stands there proudly, but is actually just a skeleton of its old self, a reminder of the times when Pioneer Avenue used to be the city’s premier business and entertainment district and home to the likes of Ram’s Bombay Bazaar, The Terrace Restaurant, Eskimo, Pioneer Hotel, Capitol Theater, Pioneer Theater, State Theater, Cotton Bowl Grill, Bajunaid Department Store, Avelmans Tailoring, Conlu Department Store, Talion Restaurant, Crown Bookstore, Sacred Heart Pharmacy, Universal Grocery, Marietta’s Barbecue, Aliwalas Store, Albores Radio Shop, a Bowling Alley, and others whose names now escape my mind.

Oh Gawd!  How I miss the old downtown Pioneer Avenue…. 🙁