A spokesman for the Catholic diocese said demolition work would begin in about two weeks.
Workers are currently clearing fallen rubble from the back of the cathedral in preparation for demolition. Read more

The $1.8 million demolition project is expected to take a year and started this week with three workers salvaging two stone angels from the front of the historic building.

Catholic Bishop Paul Martin said he was sad to demolish the cathedral.

He said in a statement on Tuesday the building was still unstable.

"Even though much work has occurred over many years to remove badly damaged sections of the cathedral as part of the stabilisation process, the site remains very hazardous and dangerous."

Some artefacts will be preserved

Martin said the cathedral's angels and some stone columns would be salvaged as part of the demolition.

"But any other salvage activities will be opportunistic in nature, and subject to being able to safely access areas of the building.

This also includes the recovery of other items such as stained glass windows and plaques.

Ornate stone elements may be retained for future projects where opportunities are identified.

While it would be desirable to incorporate some of the recovered artefacts into the new cathedral, successfully merging two architectural styles from different eras into a modern building can be extremely difficult to achieve."

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb have both called for historic treasures like a 19th Century organ, a stained glass window by artist Philip Trusttum, and the Stations of the Cross carvings by late artist Llew Summers to be saved.

Heritage New Zealand saddened

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga southern regional director Sheila Watson said she was "saddened" to see the demolition of the significant Category 1 historic place level begin.

"We understand the Bishop and his advisors have undertaken a serious and methodical consideration of the options to restore the basilica but unfortunately have come to the decision to demolish it."

Opposition continues

Heritage campaigner Anna Crighton said she was getting legal advice on whether the demolition could be challenged.

Fellow heritage campaigner Ross Gray said a pressure group called Restore Our Catholic Cathedral (ROCC) had been formed to challenge the demolition.

The Wizard of Christchurch, Ian Brackenbury Channell, has added his voice to the opposition.

In a recent 7-part video series the Wizard revealed that his fiancee had opposed the demolition of the Catholic Cathedral.

"Now my fiancee Alice (in an alchemical marriage), who was a trustee of the Catholic Cathedral in the past, is in the thick of the fight to stop the new Catholic Bishop rushing to demolish the Catholic Cathedral on shaky legal grounds and at a time of great economic uncertainty. The pro-Cathedral is functioning very well," he said.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

$200,000 left to the church in a will had no specific provision for restoration of the basilica. The donated total of $350,000 would be used for the planned new cathedral, he said.

In 2017 The Washington DC Catholic diocese donated $200,000 in 2017 as a "sign of solidarity".

At the time, the Canterbury diocese was considering preserving just the central part of the earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

The cathedral's $30 million insurance payout will be used to fix other damaged buildings throughout the Catholic diocese of the city including the building of a new cathedral.

The plan now is to build a new cathedral opposite Victoria Square on Colombo St.

Heritage advocates are disappointed by the decision to demolish Christchurch's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

"We tried to get a sounding board from different people, we're not running a referendum in the end and, as the bishop, the decision rests with me," Bishop Martin told Newshub.

Parishioners are accepting of the bishops decision, calling it a "big loss" and "sad occasion".

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel told Newshub she understands it's been a tough call for the bishop and there will be genuine sadness over the decision.

But the Catholic Church does have the legal authority to demolish the building she said.

Martin is working with engineers and safety experts to allow parishioners to attend a special event to farewell the iconic cathedral.

Source

• newshub.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• insurancebusinessmag.com
• Image: naylorlove.co.nz

He will be faced with a choice of spending $45 million to restore the nave or $100 million to carry out a complete restoration.

A decision had previously been made to save and restore just the nave, and slowly repair and restore other parts of the cathedral over time.

A total of $45m - $30m of diocese funds and $15m in fundraising - was budgeted for the nave project.

However over the last three months they have discovered that they could probably save the whole of the cathedral said the Diocesan administrator Fr Rick Loughnan.

Now, new engineering work on the land beneath the cathedral and the foundations indicate the whole building could be saved and restored at a cost of $100 million.

"So, now we are looking at a bigger number. We have engaged some fundraisers and they are confident that in various ways, overseas and here, we could possibly raise that money." said Loughnan.

"We are really excited about that possibility. There are a whole lot of questions that have got to be asked to the new bishop when he comes and it is a decision he makes."

"We will continue to explore this scenario to provide the Bishop with a recommendation, including the need for fundraising $70m for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and $15m for work in the parishes."

The late Bishop Barry had already engaged Fundraisers (AskRIGHT) who are optimistic of our ability to do this.

Watch video and make comment

Source

• chch.catholic.org.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: Screenshot

In June, the diocese applied to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) for a section 38 notice.

They had expected a decision in weeks but are still waiting approval.

A section 38 notice would give the diocese approval to demolish parts of the protected category one heritage building.

In May, the diocese announced plans to deconstruct most of the earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament but retain and restore the building's main space if possible.

The demolished parts of the cathedral could then be rebuilt around the retained central space.

If the section 38 notice is not approved, the diocese would have to get demolition consent through the normal planning process, which could take years.

A CERA spokesman said the section 38 application was complex.

"CERA needs to gather and thoroughly consider all of the relevant information, including complex engineering reports and input from the relevant parties such as Heritage New Zealand, before reaching a decision," he said.

The spokesperson said there was no timeframe for a decision on the application.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

The rebuilt Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament would include a part of the original building, but would not entirely replicate it.

Some areas, including the sanctuary, cannot be saved.

And because of budget constraints and the demolition of the buildings in the rear section, the plan does not allow for the dome to be returned.

However, after four years of testing and modelling, it is believed the nave can be retained.

The plan is not a guarantee. An application will be made to the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to deconstruct the badly damaged areas surrounding the main body.

Cathedral Management Board chairman Lance Ryan said by doing so, church engineers will be able to undertake an in-depth study of the state of the nave.

"Those studies could then reveal if the nave is too badly damaged to be saved, or the ground conditions too unsuitable, and in that case we would have no option but to move to a full demolition of the Cathedral," he said.

The church hopes to raise around $15 million to help with the work which should be completed 2019-20.

Read Press Release

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• tvnz.co.nz
• 3new.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• Image: upload.wikimedia.co

Christchurch man Pete Perrim used a drone to film the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch's Blessed Sacrament Cathedral from the air.

The footage, taken using a DJI Phantom 2 drone, documented the extent of the damage the Barbadoes St building experienced in the quake and its subsequent aftershocks.

Perrim uploaded the footage to YouTube on January 4, the same day it was taken, saying that "one of the most majestic and beautiful buildings in our city was turned into a pile of rubble by an 'act of God'". Watch Video

Ogilvie is the financial administrator in the diocese of Bunbury, Australia.

In May 2005 a tornado swept through Bunbury, destroying homes and badly damaging the Catholic cathedral.

An engineer concluded the building was moving and should be demolished, sparking a "flurry of activity" and "pressure cooker" debate in the small town, Ogilvie said. The building was eventually demolished two months later.

"If you can't restore a building properly and safely, it is not worth it. Nothing can replace a life. You can't rebuild a life that's lost. It would have been nice to keep the building, but would we be happy if we lost a life? It would not be a happy place. Not a place of joy to celebrate baptisms and marriages," he said. "I wouldn't want to work on a building where I wasn't sure I was going home to see my family that night. It is not worth it. History and emotions have to be put aside."

Ogilvie was in Christchurch last week to share his experience with Catholic leaders as they work out what to do with the earthquake-damaged Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

Source

• The Press
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Management Board chairman Lance Ryan said discussions leading up to a decision on whether the cathedral would be rebuilt or demolished could well be at least six, and more likely 12, months away.

Continue Reading

Five churches have been demolished, and a further 16, including the Basilica, have been out of action since December.

Financial Administrator, Paddy Beban, says at this stage the bill for rebuilding and repairing the churches is in excess of $120 million.

Source

• NewsTalkZB
• Image: The Press

"We are really looking at three options - whether to demolish the existing building, to retain what we can of the basilica and rebuild to its former glory, or, in the short-term, whether or not to mothball the building until we have a clearer picture," said cathedral management board chairman Lance Ryan.

Early indications were that the costs of retaining and rebuilding the basilica were in the vicinity of $100m. The nave was the only part of the existing building that could be retained, but it would still need extensive reinforcing to bring it up to the required standard.

With insurance negotiations still on-going, the diocese is stil in the early stages of preparing a strategic plan on the number and location of churches to be built in the future. This will later be presented to Bishop Barry Jones for consideration.

Ryan said that the cathedral management board is in full support of the plan as it was essential that all churches in the diocese are considered and not just the Cathedral.

"The planning group needs to consult with a wide range of people throughout the diocese while also looking at the changes that have occurred to the city's population demographics.

"All these factors, as well as establishing the status of all insurance claims, need to be known before a comprehensive report can be completed."

• The Press
• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Christchurch Art Gallery

The future of the Christchurch cathedrals is unclear and those making the decisions are still awaiting further information from the experts assessing the damage and calculating the cost of rebuilding.

It would take 60 stonemasons three years to rebuild the Catholic Cathedral in Christchurch and the wages bill could be up to $40 million.

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament leaders are still considering whether to restore the quake-damaged building for about $100m or build a new cathedral for about $40m. The earthquakes have badly damaged the cathedral and much of the building has been taken down.

Anglican Bishop Victoria Matthews says engineering reports on the building would be received by the Anglican diocese early in March and peer-reviewed by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the Historic Places Trust.

"I don't know what I will be told when I get all these reports.

"I don't know if it will be black and white or shades of grey. If there is a difference of opinion, it will take longer," she said.

"Structurally, it is in bad shape, but I am not a structural engineer. We don't know what the report is going to say".

Source

• Stuff.co.nz - Catholic Cathedral
• Stuff.co.nz - Anglican Catherdral
• Image: AnglicanJournal.com

Christchurch's Catholic Cathedral has misplaced the tabernacle doors valued at $185,000, after they were removed from the 106-year-old earthquake-damaged building for safekeeping.

The only problem is the board of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament doesn't know who has them.

The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament leaders are considering whether to restore the building for more than $100m or build a new cathedral for about $40m.

"I am still 50-50. Half of me wants to restore it to its former glory and half wants to build a new one," said board chairman Lance Ryan. "I am trying to get a decision from the engineers by Christmas," he said.

A similar decision faces the Anglicans. Divisions became apparent with the resignation of the Dean of the Cathedral, Peter Beck, last week. It is said Bishop Matthews appears to favour demolishing the cathedral and building a new church, either on the same site or elsewhere. Beck, it is said, wants to repair the cathedral and restore it to its former glory.

They also disagree over the distribution of fundraising money - the bishop wanting to scatter the money among all of Christchurch's parishes. The bishop is said to have taken full control of all decisions, leaving Beck out in the cold.

Source

• The Christchurch Press - A Tale of Two Cathedrals
• The Christchurch Press - Bishop at odds with some over future of Catheral
• Image: Popsci and ASC

It will be different for us all, but they'll be some common ones. The Avon, the Chalice in the Square, tree-lined streets, trams, the Port Hills. Perhaps, understandably, it might be a picture of quake damage.

But most common of all is likely to be the Cathedral, the mainstay of just about every Christchurch postcard produced. That's because of its history, its central location and, of course, its beauty.
And it is why, if at all possible, it should be somehow saved, almost regardless of cost.
Which is why it was pleasing yesterday to see it being deconsecrated, opening the way for partial demolition to make what's left safe.

Pleasing because the whole Cathedral isn't simply being demolished as so many other buildings have. Pleasing because it's apparent people are taking a deep breath here (unlike the initial reaction of Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee), taking their time to decide what's the next best step.

The Government has pitched in on many fronts to assist Christchurch in the wake of the earthquakes, most recently in contributing to a rugby stadium rebuild. That is more than a contribution to a building, it's an investment in lifting spirits, in showing life can be normal again.
A similar contribution is in order for the Cathedral.

No other building means as much to Christchurch. Its eventual rebuild will empower residents to say "hey, we've had an earthquake, but look, we can overcome". Especially as so many other heritage buildings are no more.

What's fortunate is that no one died under the Cathedral rubble in February, as was first thought. Certainly, the site would have a different feel if that was the case. For now then, some strengthening, then rescuing of treasures from within. Then some context, provided by time.
In other words, one step at a time. Exactly as is being done.

I wish I had similar hope for the Catholic Basilica, another of Christchurch's treasured buildings.
As much as I'd love to see it repaired I just don't see how it's possible. And that's a crying shame.

• Source: Peter O'Neill in The Ashburton Guardian
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Christchurch police last week returned the chalices to the church after finding them in a stash of stolen goods accumulated by a group of squatters living near the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Barbadoes St.

Dean Peter Beck and Catholic diocesan financial administrator Paddy Beban said they would not comment because they did not have enough information.

However, local Church of England media officer PhilipBaldwin said the decision to stop providing earthquake coverage was not a surprise

Asked if it would mean church closures, Mr Baldwin said decisions had yet to be made and it was going to be a long ongoing process.

Insurance cover has been cancelled for the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Christchurch. Ansvar Insurance will pay out on the existing policy but will not cover the cathedral for further aftershocks.

Church spokesperson Simon Pascoe will not say how much the Cathedral was insured for, but says it was covered for its replacement value.

A lot of other churches may have to close if they are unable to afford increased insurance premiums.

The majority of New Zealand churches, valued at several billion dollars, are insured by Ansvar Insurance New Zealand. Ansvar, which specialises in church insurance, says premiums are likely to double, or perhaps even treble for pre-1935 churches in earthquake-prone areas.

Contractors are currently deconstructing the top half of the severely damaged cathedral and have completed the removal of the copper dome.

Catholic Cathedral spokesman Lance Ryan says they're pleased with the way the stripping of the copper and wooden beams has gone so far.

"Contractors have assured us that at this stage the dome will be saved intact and will possibly be able to be rebuilt in its current form," he says.

Mr Ryan says a new plan for the deconstruction of the bottom half of the Cathedral has been submitted to the Christchurch City Council.

The Diocesan earthquake recovery group continues to meet weekly. This group is made up of Diocesan Personnel, Opus International Consultant representatives, the Diocesan Insurance Broker, Diocesan Insurer and Loss Adjustor.

Regarding the earthquake on Monday June 13th, the feedback from engineers is that generally there has been incremental damage to buildings that previously experienced damage. Generally no further significant damage has been reported.

• Nazareth House has sustained more damage from the recent earthquakes
• The Church at Little River has sustained a little more damage and some propping is taking place
• The Sumner and Lyttleton churches have suffered further damage
• St Albans Church is now closed as it has a yellow sticker. The parish is using the church at St Matthew's, Bryndwr.

The St Mary's school has returned to its site on Manchester Street (the school was sharing facilities at St Teresa's, Riccarton). There are no other changes to schools at this stage.

Source

• Yahoo News
• Christchurch Diocese
• Image: Sky Scraper City

Bishop Jones has asked the two parishes to work together and to take the appropriate pastoral initiatives to forge an amalgamated community.

Cathedral management board Chairman Lance Ryan says the earthquake caused over $30 million worth of damage.

The Cathedral is in a precarious state, and the main dome and the north tower could potentially collapse further should a sizeable aftershock occur. These sections of the Cathedral are therefore a falling hazard, and until stabilised will continue to prevent the adjacent Cathedral College from reopening.

Ryan says the dome could fall at any moment and engineers cannot get inside until it's removed. Approval to remove the dome is expected in the next few days. Structural engineers are waiting on approval from Christchurch City Council before the dome can be removed.

Source:

• Radio New Zealand
• johncoconnor.blogspot.com
• Image: johncoconnor.blogspot.com