Following the High Court (Justice Chisholm J) ruling that no further deconstruction of the Christchurch Cathedral should take place until further consideration and consultation between the Church Property Trustees (CPT), the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust (GCBT) and the Court, has taken place, the GCBT is endeavouring to work with the CPT and the Bishop, to reach an agreement on how the Cathedral can be restored.
The strong stand that the GCBT has taken towards saving and restoring the Cathedral is not being done because of some vague sense of nostalgia for past glories, but a fierce commitment towards the history and heritage of Christchurch, which, as a result of a natural catastrophe, lies in ruins all around us.
We have lost so many of our iconic heritage buildings that it is critical that we strenuously defend those few that are left, and the Cathedral stands as a stark and almost lone reminder of what was, and what could still be, an exceptional part of this city’s, and indeed New Zealand’s, cultural, religious and historic heritage. Its constant presence throws doubt on the quality of the opinion of those who said that the Cathedral was in imminent danger of collapse and shows that taking time over some demolition decisions can lead to more constructive alternatives being available. Continue reading
Sources
- Great Christchurch Building Trust in Scoop
- Image: The Guardian
Related Posts:
News category: Analysis and Comment.
