THE Vancouver Steam Clock has once again been voted the world’s worst tourist attraction for a record 10th year, after being labelled “pointless” by the World Travel Awards.
The historic Gastown monument currently has one of the lowest ratings on TripAdvisor at -3, the only tourist attraction in the world to receive a negative score.
The Steam Clock became the city’s most popular tourist attraction in the 1980’s when there was, locals admit, “literally nothing else to do in Vancouver.”
Nowadays, tourists visiting the city are still immediately intrigued by a clock powered by steam. “How can steam alone power something as complex as a clock,” many wonder.
However, their fascination is short-lived once the truth is revealed. The clock is not powered by steam at all. Instead it is actually powered by good old-fashioned electricity, using 3 electric motors which also produces the steam to complete the illusion.
The shocking revelation came to light in 2003, when someone noticed the clock was emitting no steam but somehow still ticking. The news caused untold controversy for the City of Vancouver. Protesters lined Granville St. and picketed the Steam Clock demanding answers. The mayor’s office was heavily implicated in the cover-up, ultimately costing Mayor Owen and 9 city planners their jobs. As locals sought blood, 33 tourist guides tragically lost their lives in the ensuing riots.
To this day, local tourist guides are still haunted by the clock, claiming that many tourists refuse to tip once they’re told the truth. “People curse and spit at me,” said one. “And you know what, I don’t even blame them.”
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