Gastown steam clock builder remembered for his skill, sense of humour, and ‘strangest snacks’

The daughters of the man who built Vancouver’s famous Gastown steam clock described their father as generous to a fault, with a rascally, quick-witted sense of humour.

On Saturday night, 84-year-old Ray Saunders joined friends for their weekly poker game. After midnight, he said his goodbyes and got into his car, but didn’t drive off.

“Up until his last moments, he was probably joking, having a good time, and then departed for the great beyond,” said his daughter, Kate Saunders.

In the 70s Saunders was asked by the City of Vancouver to build a clock to cover an unsightly steam vent in Gastown.

“He was scared out of his mind,” said his other daughter Julia. “He was like ‘sure, I can do that’. No idea what he was doing. Zero.”

He ordered parts from England and went thousands of dollars into debt, but in 1977 unveiled what would become one of the city’s most photographed landmarks.

An anonymous donor covered the cost of that debt, and to this day the family still don’t know the name of that mysterious donor.

“He had lots of friends, I mean, hundreds of friends,” said Julia. “I think in his closest circle, maybe 40 close, close, close friends.”

His family told CTV News that the steam clock ran on steam for about 10 years, but the supply had proved unreliable, and the decision was made to power it by electricity. The musical whistles, however, still use steam.

“He was a joker, he was the maker of snacks. He would always come up with the strangest snack ideas,” said Kate.

As someone who loved helping, it seemed as though Saunders had never really retired. Just two years ago he was hired to restore the giant clock that sits atop the Vancouver Block.

“He was very happy to be part of the project,” said engineer Kulwand Bains. “He was smiling, always.”

His grandfather-like timepiece in Gastown became so popular that he has steam clocks that live on in countries around the word.

“I'm thinking that my dad wanted people to enjoy his clocks,” added Kate Saunders.

“Yeah, he wanted everyone in the city to be able to just look down the street, and be able to look up to a clock, and know what time it was.”