Town Centre

There's no mistaking the centre of Anchor Rock for anything but what it is – the rock itself makes sure of that. Where other plazas of more metropolitan places would play host to a fountain or a statue, Anchor Rock organizes itself around a somewhat misshapen boulder. There is no commemorative plaque, no explanation given, but only because none is needed. This is the heart of the town, the anchor, the rock.

There are young trees growing here, the thriving holdovers from a town design campaign of years past. The tidy little fences around their trunks may not be quite so tidy anymore, but they're still trimmed by a gardener who takes pride in their work. It's never quite empty here, surrounded by cared-for buildings that house the cornerstones of the town and the community it holds. Granted, it's not exactly bustling, but the criss-crossing phone lines (all two of them) give a feel of connectedness that's hard to escape.

Sporting the oldest and fanciest architecture in town, the town hall's stone walls border the square. Inside the somewhat imposing oak doors can be found noticeboards swamped in flyers about everything from job openings, to stargazing events, to a missing courgette. Inside this building can be found the office of the Mayor, which, even before the Transference was empty more often than not, and the adjoining office of Secretary Leo, which is filled with the constant sound of paper rustling. There's a communal hall for various indoor events, an adjoining kitchenette, and various supply cupboards, including medical equipment so that temporary clinics can be set up in emergencies. The town hall also has one of Anchor Rock's two phones installed.

The town square is the heart of the community and home to the eponymous anchor rock. There is a considerable amount of disagreement among locals about the exact origin of the rock. Even so, it is proudly shown off to the town’s occasional visitors. A common outdoor meeting place, the square is used to host markets, community celebrations, and big events. If you want to bump into folks or run an idea past the community, the town square is the place to go.

Contrary to expectation, is the library is not the most consistent place in Anchor Rock to find peace and quiet. It’s common to overhear a conversation on the phone (the library has one of the community’s two) or the local children laughing at a story being read out loud. The book collection is respectable considering the size of the population it serves, but would still seem to outsiders to be small and to have a disproportionate number of books on chicken and sheep farming. Even so, the library serves as Anchor Rock’s less tangible connection to the outside world, whether for teens using Anchor Rock’s one computer to search for university courses or old folks who are happiest traveling by book from the comfort of a familiar armchair. The library also host a small but growing community archives — librarian Quinn Davis’ pet project.

Since her arrival, Secretary Leo has given Jean Hart a room in the town hall to use as a makeshift office. She's clearly spent some time since decorating it, though with the limited resources at her disposal in Anchor Rock that's mostly meant finding some odd-looking pebbles to line up on top of a bookcase. Anyone is welcome, any time, free of charge. She insists!