Bambus's video: Love it or Hate it High Point Illuminated Clock Tower Draws Mixed Reviews

HIGH POINT, NC -- A lot of people are talking about the City of High Point’s new illuminated clock tower on social media. There are more than 120 comments on Ray Lawson’s post on the “Remember When in High Point” Facebook page. Social media users made both positive and negative comments about the new clock tower on N. Main Street. The city built it last summer to try to make the area around the library more beautiful. But not everyone is seeing the beauty. Some people love it and some people hate it. The tower is illuminated from the bottom to the top -- every single level of the tower is brightly lit. The tower also features flashing colored lights in the middle. Mary Sizemore, Director of the High Point Library, says the city wanted something that will attract more visitors to the area. But some say building an illuminated clock tower is the wrong way to do that. Stacey Bailey says the city could’ve used the money in a more productive manner. "I just think it was a waste of money. It was a waste of everybody's hard earned tax money,” said Bailey. “They should've used that money wiser and in other areas in High Point like bringing jobs and helping homeless people." But some people think the tower looks great. Ben Christian has lived in High Point for 12 years. Christian says he thinks the clock tower will help to attract more visitors to the area. "I think it's going to improve a lot around here,” said Christian. “People are going to see how good it looks, especially at night time. Maybe they'll have a second opinion on it. High Point is really improving a lot of things around here." The City of High Point spent $141,000 to build the 46 foot clock tower last summer. It serves as a sun dial during the day. The clock tower is part of the city's $2.4 million dollar beautification project around the library on North Main Street. According to Sizemore, $1.4 million comes from state grant money. The rest of the money for the project was paid with city money that was specifically appropriated for library improvements. The first phase of the project is done. Now crews are building a farmers market -- trying to bring in new faces and new shoppers to the city. "We want people to wake up on a Saturday morning thinking of what they're going to do that day and then to think, 'Oh, I wonder what's happening at the library today,’” said Sizemore. “Because of the new redesigned space, we will be able to provide that for them." There’s no specific word on how much it costs to keep the tower lit up all night. The city says that cost is one of the many electric costs for the whole library – it is not an itemized cost. The High Point Library beautification project is expected to be finished in the next few months. Sizemore says they hope the farmers market will be open in April.