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Paul King wanted to resurrect the roof and ceiling from Nazareth House Chapel into an earthquake memorial.
King saved the Nazareth roof when he demolished the chapel last year.
He says the ceiling, made of rimu, is the equal of the ceiling in the Arts Centre’s Great Hall and Christ Church Cathedral.
It’s 23.5 metres long, 10m wide and weighs about 30.1 tonnes, including the slate roof tiles.
The eight carved trusses could be worth $200,000, according to a truss maker he consulted.
King, who operates Graceworks Demolition and Recycling in Kaiapoi which specialises in church salvage and demolition, hoped the Nazareth ceiling and roof could be incorporated into an earthquake memorial.
He even had concept drawings prepared, but said the Christchurch City Council and the Historic Places Trust were “not interested in funding restoration of the church away from its site”.
Other potential buyers fell away, King’s demolition contract with Nazareth House ended and he couldn’t leave the roof in Sydenham.
He dismantled the roof and it rests in pieces in his Kaiapoi yard.
“I’d sell it if the right amount came in,” he said, but he would not consider selling components or for its timber value.
Source
- Stuff.co.nz
- Image: Historic Places Trust
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