Sunday, July 28, 2013

Year 3 CERA. Churchless Christchurch

Churchless Christchurch focus. Mon 29.07.13. Churchless Christchurch, a paradox, as scores of Christchurch churches withstood the 2010-2011 quakes well, mostly modern churches. Churches that fared badly were old stone or brick churches without quake reinforcements. Walls just collapsed leaving interiors exposed to the elements, roofs mostly intact, held up by wooden arches. Over the last 3 years post quakes, we'd seen sacred lands of several Christchurch churches profaned by dirty digger treads.

Heritage hailers championed saving quaked bldgs, few of which were reinforced pre quakes. Heritage hailers & historians were nostalgic for Christian churches built on bogs. Never mind that many Christchurch citizens were agnostics, atheists, or followed other faiths.


22.08.13. Quake repairs, Fo Guang Shan South Island, Korean Buddhist Temple, Riccarton Rd / Mandeville Rd




Riccarton Rd: Heritage hailers didn't mention preserving the Korean Buddhist Temple, presently being repaired, nor Deans Ave Mosque, nor made any outcry when the Jewish synagogue needed repairs, Durham St Nth. (15 Mar 2019. Deans Ave, Al Noor Mosque would suffer a terrorist attack together with Linwood Ave Mosque, 51 Muslims killed at Friday prayers).


22.08.13. Quake survivor Deans Ave, Al Noor Mosque. 15.03.19. Al Noor Mosque would be terrorist attacked

Since the quakes, Heritage hailers had hectored about spending others' money to resurrest stone or brick churches. The latest Heritage hailer was Dr Alma Rae, a psychiatrist, wittering about quake survivors' fears. Rae wanted Christ Church Cathedral saved. She was too lazy to see for herself the quake damage done to churches she extolled:

"The beautiful Church of the Holy Trinity Avonside... was unceremoniously bulldozed in case it might hurt someone, according to parish publications, although no-one had so much as stubbed a toe on it." (The Press  29.07.13).

Christchurch demolitions were done by diggers! I hadn't seen any bulldozers demolishing Christchurch bldgs. My 20.08.11 post showed many pics of 22.02.11 Killer Quake trashed, Holy Trinity Avonside. Dr Rae's debunking citizens' quake fears insulted families of the dead & those injured by quakes. Heritage hailers like Dr Rae valued old stones, bricks, cement, wood & iron more than human lives. Dr Rae should also look at quake trashed, Christ Church Cathedral (Anglican) Cathedral Sq & quake trashed Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (RC) Barbadoes St, to see the walls of those cathedrals were either constructed with grey concrete, thinly clad by Oamaru whitestone (RC Cathedral) or greystone rubble walls, thinly clad by greystone (Christ Church Cathedral). Any restoration of those cathedrals on liquefactioned swampland would need foundation stabilisation & every stone being removed, mortared & quake reinforced to a post quake bldg code. At what cost?

Auckland lawyer Mai Chen opined it was illegal that the Anglican diocese could demolish Christ Church Cathedral, with CERA's approval of course, as it was a heritage bldg. (The Press 30.07.13). I doubted Chen in Auckland & Rae ever stood anywhere near Christ Church Cathedral ghost & other dangerous bldgs & felt the bad vibes those ruins emitted, ready to collapse on stupid people. Chen & Rae should visit Christchurch & stand next to Forsyth Barr ghost, or any ghost of their choice to see & feel them, instead of talking nonsense. Chen stirred Heritage hailers, enabling lawyers to enrich themselves with more court cases. Never mind that the High Court & more recently Appeal Court had ruled that it was OK for the Anglican diocese to demolish Christ Church Cathedral.

Given other Anglican churches demolished & many other bldgs demolished post quakes, why hadn't Chen & Rae tried to save them too? Where were they when protesters whined outside Council bldg, opposing demolition of Manchester Courts post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake?

I had a mental list of repaired / restored bldgs in Christchurch I'd never enter again. I'd seen far too many trashed, tilt slab bldgs, cracked tilt slabs epoxy glued & painted over.

Since the quakes, churchless congregations shared facilities with quake survivor churches, or public halls. e.g. Christchurch North Methodist, Harewood Rd, shared facilities with St Josephs Catholic, Main Nth Rd. After Leah's weekly yoga classes at Mary Potter Centre, near the medical Blood Bank, Durham St Nth, Leah & other yoga ladies set out chairs for church use.

Pics I took of church ghosts were samples of many damaged / demolished / part demolished / repaired / restored churches in Christchurch. There were many more churches which survived the quakes well. I didn't take pics of all churchless demolition sites in Christchurch, as weedy demolition sites made boring pics.

Hereford St / Madras St, Latimer Sq: The Anglican Cardboard Cathedral was a transitional cathedral awaiting resolution of court cases & funding for Christ Church Cathedral demolition / rebuild / repairs / restoration / reinstatement? Whatever. So far to my knowledge, nearly 3 years post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, there were no church rebuilds in Christchurch. But there were many church demolitions & steel mesh fence cordoned ghosts, awaiting repairs, or restorations, or demolitions, or rebuilds.

Throughout Christchurch, quake trashed churches were found from Fendalton to Papanui to the CBD; Richmond to New Brighton; Sumner to Sydenham, to Halswell, to Riccarton. Nearby towns also had quake trashed churches: Lyttelton, Kaiapoi, Hororata. *Asterisk showed Anglican Church:

Fendalton Rd: *St Barnabas ghost: Steel mesh fence cordoned, yellow stickered, steel braced nave end walls, many quake cracks road side of the church, especially by windows and tower. Throughout Christchurch, the weight of a church tower & steeple often caused quake damage, not only due to tower & / or steeple collapse, but the tower / steeple also damaged adjacent church walls, either because the tower / steeple collapsed onto the church, like Christ Church Cathedral & / or the tower / steeple smashed / pulled against church walls causing cracks, like St Barnabas. The parish hoped to raise $1m for quake repairs & maintenance.


22.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned, yellow stickered, steel braced, St Barnabas Anglican Church, Fendalton Rd















Post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, some churches removed steeples from church towers as a future quake hazard, like the Chinese Methodist Church ghost, Merivale. Post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, there was no consistent treatment of quake hazardous churches. Christ Church Cathedral steeple / tower was left intact by the Anglican diocese despite great shakings in the Sept 4 Darfield Quake & Boxing Day Quake, 2010. That resulted in Christ Church Cathedral trashing when the steeple / tower collapsed in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake. Ditto the RC twin tower collapses of Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St.

Ilam Rd / Aorangi Rd: St Stephens ghost: Five minutes trek from my Burnside home. Church was demolished due to a nearby stream flowing through neighbouring Jellie Park. Church office OK. The church would be rebuilt as The Village, Presbyterian Church, Community Centre. 2021. I would trek by, the new church outer wall, vertical & horizontal panels facing the road, were painted yellow & white.


22.08.13. St Stephens quake demolition site, Ilam Rd / Aorangi Rd. Jellie Park behind. The church would be rebuilt as The Village, Presbyterian Church, Community Centre



22.08.13. Jellie Park stream, St Stephens quake demolition site, Ilam Rd / Aorangi Rd. The Church would be rebuilt as The Village, Presbyterian Church, Community Centre

Streams & rivers were fatal for any nearby bldg, due to soft ground, lateral spreading of river / stream banks & liquefaction e.g. Christchurch Town Hall ghost was tilted Avon River bank side, as Town Hall was built on Avon River bank. Councillors still wanted to spend $127.5m ratepayers' money to repair / restore Town Hall. Months before councillors had unanimously voted to spend the $127.5m, most councillors not having entered nor examined the 22.02.11 Killer Quake damaged Town Hall in the forbidden red zone. Only in Aug 2013 did councillors actually enter the Town Hall for a look. Some changed their minds about the $127.5m spend. Town Hall farce would continue to June 2015 when new councillors & new mayor Dalziel again voted for restoration of the Town Hall for $127.5m.

Bryndwyr Rd / Jeffreys Rd: St Johns Moraia ghost: Fifteen minutes trek from my Burnside home. Church was steel mesh fence cordoned, steel braced both nave ends, nave walls cracked both sides, like brittle twigs, caused by quake shaking & tower weight.

Steel mesh fence cordon, board sign:

PEACE
Let it begin
with me


22.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned, steel braced, St Johns Moraia, Bryndwyr Rd / Jeffreys Rd












Riccarton Rd / Mandeville Rd: *St James ghost: Opp the Korean Buddhist Temple, St James, like St Barnabas, steel mesh fence cordoned, yellow stickered, steel braced nave end walls, cracked walls & windows. Parish Office OK.



22.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned, yellow stickered, steel braced, St James Anglican Church, Riccarton Rd / Mandeville Rd


St James steel mesh fence cordon, fence sign:

  CHURCH SHAKEN
WORSHIP SERVICES
         CONTINUE





Harewood Rd / Chapel St: Christchurch North Methodist ghost: Decapitated steeple standing in garden. Porta-cabin, church office open for business. The steel mesh fence cordon was yellow stickered. Threat signs:

DANGER
Keep out!

Authorised
People only!


31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake damaged, closed, Christchurch North Methodist Church, Harewood Rd / Chapel St. Removed steeple on ground. Christchurch North Methodist church would be demolished, rebuilt




 31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow stickered, Christchurch North Methodist Church, Harewood Rd / Chapel St, awaited demolition, rebuild







31.07.13. Porta-cabin Church Office, Christchurch North Methodist Church, Chapel St

Christchurch North Methodist Church would be demolished & rebuilt.

Harewood Rd: *St Pauls Papanui: Presently restored for $400 000, steel mesh fence cordoned, office & hall open for business. Blue portaloo, grey shipping container & contractor vehicles in carpark. Orange, Hi-Vis vested workman sawing wood in carpark.


31.07.13. Blue portaloo. St Pauls Papanui restoration, Harewood Rd




31.07.13. Blue portaloo. St Pauls Papanui restoration, Harewood Rd



31.07.13. Cemetery, St Pauls Papanui restoration, Harewood Rd



31.07.13. Parish Office, St Pauls Papanui, Harewood Rd


Parish Office, Papanui history board: 

EARLY PAPANUI
Spearers, sawyers, swamp suburbs

The Papanui Bush of about 70 acres (30 hectares) was important to Maori for its bird life. The name Papanui may mean "bird-spearer's tree platform."

Papanui was The Canterbury Settlement's first country village growing around the bush which was early Christchurch's nearest source of timber and firewood. Wagons were frequently stuck in boggy Papanui Road. Pit-sawyers had cut out the bush by 1847 when Papanui's population was about two thirds Christchurch's.

The Sawyer's Arms Hotel (1852) was Papanui's first public building.

The first school was opened in 1858.

The rich swamp ground was drained and became market gardens, orchards and dairy farms supplying Christchurch. The 5'3" gauge northern railway (3'6" 1877) reached Papanui in 1872.  

The steam tramway (1880) from Christchurch to the Papanui railway station encouraged suburban growth between city and village.

Papanui had its own Town Hall (1881-1909) but was amalgamated into Christchurch in 1923.

Papanui Rd / Rugby Rd:  Chinese Methodist Church ghost, steel mesh fence cordoned, steeple removed, tethered in the front garden. Pre quakes, Jake had flatted in Rugby Rd & presently worked at Brewers Arms next to the church.


31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Chinese Methodist Church demolition, Papanui Rd / Rugby St

 




Wed. 31.07.13. The church was being demolished while I took pics. One orange & two yellow, Hi-Vis vested workmen cleared rubble in the nave by an abandoned piano. Another yellow, Hi-Vis vested workman worked on scaffolding in the nave. A yellow digger cleared rubble outside the demolished N wall. So much for worker safety, as nave walls could collapse on workmen in the nave. The church hall had been demolished post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.


31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Chinese Methodist Church demolition, Papanui Rd / Rugby St














June 2015. A brand new Chinese Methodist Church would be on site.

Church Ln: *St Mary's: Porta-cabin Parish Office on church demolition site. Original Parish Office / Centre was quake damaged, abandoned, steel mesh fence cordoned. A salvaged wooden roof stood on the office lawn. St Mary's would be rebuilt as All Souls Church, opened 2018, Church Ln / Papanui Rd.


31.07.13. Parish Office porta-cabin, St Mary's Anglican Church demolition site, Church Ln



31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Salvaged roof, abandoned Parish Office / Centre, St Mary's Anglican Church, Church Ln



Bealey Ave / Victoria St: Knox Church ghost: Part demolished, windows & walls gone, just gaping holes, boarded wooden arches supporting roof, fence cordoned. Next door Knox Centre, abandoned.


31.07.13. Abandoned Knox Centre & Knox Church, Bealey Ave / Victoria St






By the end of 2014 Knox church would be restored with exterior copper cladding.

Edgeware Rd: St Athanasius Coptic: Weedy demolition site. The church was wrecked by the 04.09.10 Darfield Quake.


31.07.13. St Athanasius Coptic Church demolition site, Edgeware Rd

Stanmore Rd: Richmond Methodist Church ghost: Hall demolished. Pre quakes, Leah had taken her school kids to the church hall for weekly lessons. Next door, London St cnr, Richmond Working Mens Club demolition site.


31.07.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Richmond Methodist Church, Stanmore Rd. Richmond Working Mens Club demolition site left.



Lychgate Cl: *Holy Trinity Avonside: Green lawn, carved, Oamaru whitestone, salvage piece, on the church demolition site. Some salvaged Oamaru whitestones scattered by graves. Grave stones & green, wooden lychgate still stood. Parish Hall, demolished. Parish Office, open. By the Parish Office a large blackboard stood. It was chalk-titled: I love Avonside because... Locals had scrawled emotive comments on the blackboard, like: This was where memories were made... 2020-21. A new church would be built on site.


31.07.13. Quake survivor, Parish Office, Holy Trinity Avonside, Lychgate Cl



31.07.13. Cemetery, salvaged church stones, lychgate, Holy Trinity Avonside, Lychgate Cl



31.07.13. Holy Trinity Avonside demolition site, Lychgate Cl. Cemetery beyond


Barbadoes St: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament ghost: Part demolished, steel mesh fence cordoned. Stacked shipping containers supported N & S transept walls. There were many cracks on Oamaru whitestone cladding. The concrete core was revealed on collapsed, twin tower walls.


01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. S nave wall, abandoned, part demolished, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St. Collapsed S tower left. Stacked shipping containers braced S transept right

 

01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Collapsed twin towers, W facade, abandoned Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St. See concrete structure clad with thin Oamaru whitestone





Steel mesh fence cordon sign:

CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL PARISH
Has moved to St Mary's Pro Cathedral
             373 Manchester Street
  Visitors, Tourists and Parishioners
                are ALL welcome







01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. N nave wall, collapsed N tower, W facade, abandoned Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St. Stacked shipping containers braced the N transept








01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. N nave wall, collapsed N tower, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St. Stacked shipping containers braced N transept






01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Salvaged Oamaru whitestone. Stacked shipping containers braced N transept & N nave wall, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St



May 2015. The RC bishop would announce that 45 million dollars would be spent to partially restore Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.

May 2018. New RC bishop Martin considered building a new RC Cathedral opp Victoria Sq & Town Hall, if land beside Avon River was available between Oxford Tce & Armagh St.

Dec 2019. RC bishop Martin would announce rebuild of the new RC Cathedral opp Victoria Sq by Avon River. The new RC Cathedral would be built on Avon River swampland! Never mind Christchurch Fault!

2021. Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Barbadoes St, would be demolished, enabling the new RC Cathedral to be built opp Victoria Sq.

Oxford Tce / Madras St: Oxford Terrace Baptist: Demolished. Edmonds Clock Tower across the road was scaffolded & under repair. 2017. A new Oxford Terrace Baptist church would be built on the demo site. I would frequent Pillars Cafe (named after Ionic capital, salvaged pillars in front of Pillars Cafe) en route my post quakes, London St - CBD treks.


01.08.13. Madras St view, Oxford Terrace Baptist Church demolition site


01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Post quake restoration, Edmonds Clock Tower, Madras St / Oxford Tce

Manchester St / Kilmore St: *St Lukes: Demolished. Post quake features: A Chartres Cathedral maze, made out of demolition bricks, laid on the demolition site. Near the surviving, white-painted, wooden bell tower, a demolition stone memorial honoured 185 people killed in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake. The demolition site was pathed & covered in wood mulch to suppress weeds. 2020. Demo site, a weedy disgrace.


01.08.13. NO ENTRY. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Manchester St, S view, post quake CBD skyline. Repaired Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left. Abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel high rise awaited repairs right. Abandoned Ernst & Young awaited demolition right


01.08.13. Manchester St, St Lukes Anglican Church demolition site, SW view, quake ravaged Christchurch CBD. Abandoned Ernst & Young awaited demolition left. Court House & abandoned Town Hall middle. Forte Health rebuild right. White, wooden Belfry right, all that was left of St Lukes, post demolition



01.08.13. St Lukes Anglican Church, post quake Labyrinth, copy of Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth, made from St Lukes brick rubble, Manchester St



01.08.13. St Lukes Anglican Church demolition site, Memorial to 185 quake dead, made from demolished church stones, Manchester St / Kilmore St

Hereford St / Madras St, Latimer Sq: *St Johns: Demolished. Transitional Cardboard Cathedral rebuild. Orange digger & yellow contractor van parked on church grounds. Workmen made paths around the Cardboard Cathedral. Smiley, grey haired ladies, seated on chairs had a meeting in the cathedral, Thurs 01.08.13. A Joyfully Un-munted sign on the steel mesh fence cordon advertised music recitals in the Cardboard Cathedral, Aug 2013, to celebrate opening of the Cardboard Cathedral & its acoustics.


01.08.13. Orange digger. Yellow contractor van. Latimer Sq view, Cardboard Cathedral, St Johns Anglican Church demolition site, Hereford St / Madras St



  







01.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Cardboard Cathedral, Madras St / Hereford St


01.08.13. Cashel St view, Cardboard Cathedral

Saturday 24.08.13. On our first walk in the Port Hills since the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, above Victoria Park, below Sugarloaf, Leah & I viewed Christchurch on Canterbury Plains, backdropped by snowy Alps, from Kaikouras in the N, to Puketeraki & Torlesse Ranges in the W & Mt Hutt in the S. Little did we know, in 2014 we'd be living in Mackenzie Country, SW of Christchurch.

There were few tall bldgs left in Christchurch CBD. Those I could pick out were Forsyth Barr ghost awaiting repairs to become Crowne Plaza Hotel, restored Novotel, Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel & IRD ghost. Cardboard Cathedral's distinctive tent shape was easily see from miles away, the only rebuild of any aesthetic worth. The rest, ugly boxes.

May 2015. CERA minister Brownlee would announce construction of the Memorial Wall beside Avon River, memorial for 185 quake dead.

Despite Council's, CERA's, CCDU's & NZ National govt's rebuild hype, the only rebuilds in the CBD so far were a couple of private sector bldgs, like Westende House & the Cardboard Cathedral. The Anglican diocese had demolished St Johns & built the Cardboard Cathedral on site all within 29 months post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.
 

01.08.13. Peter Majendie's 185 Empty Chairs memorial to quake dead, St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian demolition site, Cashel St / Madras St. Abandoned IR bldg behind would survive the quakes


01.08.13. 185 Empty Chairs memorial to quake dead, St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian demolition site, Madras St / Cashel St. Cardboard Cathedral, Latimer Sq behind




 



01.08.13. Artist Peter Majendie, 185 Empty Chairs memorial to quake dead, St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian demolition site, Cashel St / Madras St. Beyond car, CTV demolition site where 115 people died when CTV collapsed & burned

Madras St / Cashel St: St Pauls Trinity Pacific Presbyterian: Demolished. 185 Empty Chairs Memorial on the demolition site. CTV demolition site, diag opp cnr, where 115 people died when CTV collapsed & burned in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake. Grey haired artist, Peter Majendie pottered amongst the white chairs. I helped him remove a repainted chair from his car. Sept 2019. Majende's 185 Empty Chair Memorial was still on site. 2021. The 185 Empty Chair Memorial would be moved back to St Lukes demo site, Kilmore St / Manchester St.

Hereford St to Cathedral Sq: I took in Torrens House demolition in the E Frame. Although it was more than 2 years post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, CERA still demolished bldgs. But there was no CBD rebuild so far.


07.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Torrens House demolition, Hereford St, E Frame




07.08.13. Worcester St view, Torrens House demolition, E Frame

Worcester St / Manchester St: Westende House rebuild, a strong, 2 storey rebuild. July 2015. For its E Frame / Manchester St widening, CCDU would demolish Westende House rebuild. Post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, the site was Ground Zero, where breathless TV anchor girls had reported, back-dropped by lurid red lighting & ruined Westende Jeweller. Sept 2019. Westende House, repeat demolition site, would be a shingle carpark beside a Manchester St, widened pavement.

Worcester St / Manchester St: Opp cnr, Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant ghost: The owner was looking for a buyer to resurrect the ghost, as he'd run out restoration money. If Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant was restored, I'd never enter it. No way could its restoration be as strong as new Westende House across the road had been, no matter how much money was spent. The same went for Christ Church Cathedral ghost down Worcester St. 2020-23 Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant would still await restoration completion, due to poor funding.


07.08.13. Westende House rebuild, E Frame, Manchester St / Worcester St. Westende House was rebuilt post 04.09.10 quake. July 2015. CCDU would demolish Westende House for Manchester St widening


07.08.13. Orange, plastic, road barrier, steel mesh fence cordon. Serial quake trashed, tarped, boarded, Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant, Manchester St / Worcester St, awaited restoration


  



Worcester St: Behind Christ Church Cathedral ghost, I trekked past abandoned, boarded, steel mesh fence cordoned, design & arts college. Plaster had fallen off ground floor, concrete columns, showing quake cracks. If that bldg was restored, I'd never enter it. 2023. design & arts college would still be awaiting restoration.


07.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake trashed design & arts college, Worcester St



07.08.13. Cathedral Junction undergoing post quake repairs, Worcester St. Westende House rebuild beyond would be demolished by CERA, July 2015

I trekked past Cathedral Junction undergoing post quake repairs. Cathedral Junction was a hotchpotch of repaired old & new bldgs. Pre quakes trams had rumbled through Cathedral Junction, not the smartest idea for quake prone bldgs. The same went for nearby New Regent St, a pre quakes tram line down the middle of the narrow street, Spanish Mission bldgs recently restored.


Cathedral Sq: *Christ Church Cathedral ghost, fence cordoned. Three weeks pre 22.02.11 Killer Quake, Leah & I were inside Christ Church Cathedral & saw workmen on scaffolding, checking 04.09.10 Darfield Quake & 26.12.10 Boxing Day Quake damages, murals & windows.


07.08.13. Worcester St view, E end, abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral, apse, chancel, transepts, Cathedral Sq



07.08.13. Stacked shipping container cordon. Christ Church Cathedral, N side apse, chancel, transept, Cathedral Sq




07.08.13. Quake damaged stonework, N transept window & buttress, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq








07.08.13. Quake collapsed, part demolished tower, damaged N nave wall, useless steel braced, quake collapsed, W facade, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. WW 1 memorial statue in foreground















07.08.13. Quake collapsed, part demolished tower, quake collapsed W facade, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. Steel bracing was useless in the 13.06.11 quake. See stone rubble, clad by thin stones structure, collapsed / part demolished tower walls.









A Cathedral Sq info board said Maori had used the area as a worship place long before colonists arrived, hence the flowery whare before Christ Church Cathedral ghost. Like the jarring junk art on cordon fencing, the whare blocked access & view of Christ Church Cathedral.

Three years later, June 2016, post CERA era, Christ Church Cathedral ghost would still be fence cordoned. No progress had been made by NZ National govt, the Anglican diocese, nor Heritage hailers, Anderton, Burdon, et al, on a decision to demolish, or repair, or restore, or rebuild Christ Church Cathedral.

Sept 2018. NZ Labour coalition govt: Dr Megan Woods, Labour MP, Regenerate Christchurch (CERA morph) would briefly lead restoration of Christ Church Cathedral. Sept 2019. Whare gone. 2021. Stabilisation would begin on Christ Church Cathedral, Reinstatement hopefully completed by 2027! Whenever I visited Christchurch from S Canterbury, I would view Christ Church Cathedral's sloooow reinstatement from first & second floor windows of the new Turanga Public Library overlooking Christ Church Cathedral ghost.


07.08.13. Abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. Abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel behind




07.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordoned, Cathedral Sq, NW view, abandoned bldgs: Abandoned Rydges Hotel behind. Chancery Arcade middle, Government Life right awaited demolition for NZ National govt's / CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae. 2021. Rydges Hotel would still be abandoned together with abandoned, boarded shops & abandoned multi-storey carpark below. Eyesores.


07.08.13. Abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. Steel bracing didn't stop W facade collapsing in the 13.06.11 quake. See stone rubble structure clad by thin stones. Repaired Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left. Abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel right






07.08.13. Flowery, Maori whare middle, Cathedral Sq. Abandoned Christ Church Cathedral, abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel left. Aug 2019. Whare gone. Chalice right, quake survivor



07.08.13. Abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. See stone rubble structure clad by thin stones. Bordered by abandoned / repaired hotels







07.08.13. Maori whare view, quake trashed W facade & tower, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq




07.08.13. Abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq. See stone rubble structure clad by thin stones. Repaired, reopened Novotel behind left
















07.08.13. Abandoned, fence cordoned, Christ Church Cathedral & Chalice, Cathedral Sq









07.08.13. Cathedral Sq, NE view: Christ Church Cathedral, boarded S transept, fenced / stacked shipping container cordon. Repaired, reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel right


07.08.13. Christ Church Cathedral: Columbarium, boarded S transept, S nave wall, clerestory, chancel, Cathedral Sq



07.08.13. Worcester St, W view: Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Sq, fenced / stacked, shipping container cordoned apse, chancel, transepts




Durham St Nth: Durham St Methodist: Demolished. 3 people died there in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake when the church collapsed. Like so many CBD demolition sites, Durham St Methodist became a carpark, where there was nothing to remember the dead, nor the collapsed church.


07.08.13. Durham Street Methodist Church, desecrated as a carpark, Durham St Nth / Chester St West

Late August, a church Information board was erected by the carpark cnr, remembering the dead:

Durham Street Methodist Church

From 1864 to 2011 this was where the Durham Street Methodist Church stood. Badly damaged in the earthquake of September 2010 the building collapsed as a result of the major earthquake on February 22nd 2011. Sadly three men who were removing the organ for restoration lost their lives when the building fell. 

Constructed of locally quarried stone it was the oldest stone church in Christchurch.

From 1984 the site was shared with the Methodist Mission serving social and community needs for Christchurch city.

Plans are being prepared for a replacement building that will continue the work and worship of the Methodist Church in this place.

Currently the congregation worships off site - details of services...

2018-19. A new Durham St Methodist Church would be built.


Shame, there was little of significance erected in the CBD to remember the 185 quake dead. Majendie's 185 Empty Chair Memorial was a temporary memorial needing maintenance & vigilance against hooligans desecrating & stealing chairs from the temporary memorial at St Pauls Trinity Pacific demolition site. Driving around Christchurch, I saw daily increased tagging, signs of ghosts.

Late August, Anderton's Heritage hailers, peeved by losing court cases to save Christ Church Cathedral, wanted to continue squabbling with the Anglican diocese & bishop Matthews (there'd been media criticism of bishop Matthews) by appealing to the Supreme Court. Their energies & money wasting, enriching lawyers, would've been better spent organizing a decent quake memorial. Their whinging insulted families of the quake dead & those injured by quakes. People from over 20 nations died in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake.

Colombo St / Brougham St: Sydenham Heritage: Demolished. A makeshift, white board hut was on top of the rubble with 3 pics: King Brownlee; Joker Parker; Knave Insurer. The church was "illegally" demolished, during the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, National State of Emergency, hence the rubble eyesore years later. When rubble would be removed, Heritage hailers hoped to save artifacts, like wooden pews under the rubble. 2020. The rubble still stood, an eyesore. 2021. The rubble was gone.
  

07.08.13. Sydenham Heritage Church demolition site, Colombo St / Brougham St.


Cashel St / Olliviers Rd: Samoan Seventh Day Adventist: Demolished. Church hall still stood. The church was destroyed in the 04.09 10 Darfield Quake.


07.08.13. Samoan Seventh Day Adventist Church demolition site, Cashel St / Olliviers Rd. Church hall behind

Union St: New Brighton Union Church: Demolished, decapitated steeple stood on the ground. Church Hall & Op Shop OK, Church Office in a porta-cabin.


07.08.13. New Brighton Union Church demolition site, Union St. See decapitated steeple

Wakefield Ave: *All Saints ghost: Behind a double layer, shipping container cordon below Sumner cliff. All Saints was next to several tagged, red zone, ghost houses.

Nov 2015. All Saints would be demolished. 1995. During our post immigration, 6 months stay in Sumner, we'd attended All Saints services. Part of our immigrant history gone forever.


07.08.13. Abandoned, red zone house below Sumner cliff, Wakefield Ave





07.08.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned, fence / shipping container cordoned, All Saints Anglican Church below Sumner cliff, Wakefield Ave. Nov 2015. All Saints would be demolished





Nash Rd, Aidenfield, Halswell: St John of God: Steel mesh fence cordoned, boarded, scaffolded, undergoing repairs. Post immigration, during our Halswell years, when our sons attended Oaklands Primary School, Leah taught at one of the 2 schools near St John of God.

07.08.13. Abandoned, scaffolded, steel mesh fence cordoned, St John of God, Aidenfield, Halswell



Riccarton Rd / Main Sth Rd: *St Peters ghost, Church Corner: Steel mesh fence cordoned, boarded, scaffolded, repairs stalled. 2019-20. St Peters would be repaired.


07.08.13. Abandoned, steel mesh fence cordoned, boarded, St Peters Anglican Church, Riccarton Rd / Main Sth Rd







*Trekked Riccarton Rd, Deans Ave, Fendalton Rd, Ilam Rd, Bryndwr Rd, Harewood Rd, Papanui Rd, Church Ln, Bealey Ave, Edgeware Rd, Stanmore Rd, Lychgate Cl, Barbadoes St, Madras St, Manchester St, Hereford St, Worcester St, Cathedral Sq, Durham St Nth, Brougham St, Cashel St, Union St, Wakefield Ave, Aidenfield. 275 images.

Last month CERA minister Brownlee announced that cordons would be dropped in Christchurch CBD when NZDF soldiers evacuated, after occupying the CBD for 28 months. That was only part true, as there were many CBD bldgs & streets still steel mesh fence cordoned or orange, plastic, road cone cordoned. Never mind the many bldgs, roads & churches fence or cone cordoned all over Christchurch, nearly 3 years post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake.

For the last few months it was frustrating driving anywhere in Christchurch, due to SCIRT excavations, fence cordons & detours. New road cordons & detours sprung up daily, obstacle courses worse than the earthquakes. SCIRT obstacle courses would continue for years, according to CERA's Greater Christchurch Recovery Update, Issue 24, August 2013:

More detail about the sequence and timing of works will be available in coming months. Work will increase significantly from October this year. From then there will be up to 40 SCIRT work crews in the central city at any time to get the work done by the end of 2016 finish date.

It took Civil Defence (3 months worth) then CERA (since 13 June 2011) more than 2 years to demolish quake trashed CBD bldgs, an indictment of Kiwi workmen & management. (No wonder builder firms recruited efficient foreign labour, like Filipinos & Irishmen). Then SCIRT would take another 3 years to complete CBD infrastructure rebuild: waste water, sewage & water pipes & repairing roads, another indictment. Never mind a greater suburban mess by SCIRT rebuilding suburban quake trashed roads.

Imagine having several Hi-Vis vested persons at various road detours, wearing hard hats, brandishing STOP - GO signs & chatting into radios, obstructing your vehicle daily for years. That was the reality on post quake Christchurch roads.

Given SCIRT's slow progress & poor man management (workers shirking for all to see) for road infrastructure rebuild, one could expect a slow CBD rebuild by CERA, hardly begun, nearly 3 years post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake. So far there'd been much boasting by CERA, CCDU & SCIRT, but little rebuild.

08.08.13. Dominion Post reported that after Christchurch quake hassles with weak bldgs, NZ National govt found there were approx 25 000 quake prone bldgs in NZ. The govt report was only released post Seddon / Wellington quakes. NZ National govt gave bldg owners 5 years to assess bldgs, then 15 years to strengthen those old bldgs, up to revised bldg code, or demolish thereafter. 20 years to sort out quake prone bldgs! Heritage bldgs were given 30 years!

Despite all the post quake demolitions in Christchurch, I could think of several Heritage bldgs, including churches, needing strengthening. NZ National govt gave owners 30 years to quake strengthen their rubbish bldgs. Pre quakes, bldg owners already had many years to strengthen those quake prone bldgs up to code. That insulted families of the 185 quake dead & many injured!

Latimer Sq: Having witnessed the recent Memorial Service for 185 quake dead, where squads of local & govt politicians & hangers-on jostled for photo coverage, their self-serving & commercially expedient actions disgusted me. Labour's Cosgrove, Dyson & recently resigned, revolving door leader, Shearer had shown their mugs at the memorial service. Shearer had shown no interest in post quake Christchurch. He'd demoted Dalziel, the only effective Labour voice against National's edicts regarding post quake land zonings, clearances & the ravages of EQC & insurers. That resulted in Dalziel wanting to be Christchurch mayor, like Anderton at the last mayoral election, a recycled politician foisted on Christchurch. As for affirmative action queers in parliament, one of them coveted Labour leadership. What a farce, while PM Key mocked Labour's "Idol" competition, TV OneNews, 26.08.13.

Nearly 3 years post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, there was little Christchurch rebuild. There was some housing development by Halswell Junction Rd & Aidanfield, but many demolitions still had to go in the residential red zone & CBD. There was little rebuild in the CBD. Residential & CBD rebuild propaganda was done by CERA to bamboozle credulous Kiwis who lived outside Christchurch. Anyone visiting the CBD & residential red zones could see CERA's non rebuild.

Fri 16.08.13. Seddon & Wellington were shaken by the M6.6 quake & aftershocks. There was damage to bldgs at Seddon, Ward & Wellington, the latter gridlocked, trains cancelled for the day. Wide eyed, breathless, TV anchor ladies jabbered the annoying, Cantabrian script of tough, resilient citizens, complacent of dangers. Like the 04.09.10 Darfield Quake & 26.12.10 Boxing Day Quake, the 2 Seddon / Wellington quake swarms, a month or so apart, were warnings & warm ups for future bigger quakes. (14.11.16. The M7.8 Kaikoura quake would cause extensive damage to the N part of the S Island & Wellington). GeoNet fault line map of Marlborough showed that Seddon was close to several NE trending faults.

Two & a half years post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, there was a huge disconnect between those wanting to save Heritage bldgs in Christchurch & those wanting justice for the 185 dead. NZ National govt wasn't interested in pursuing justice for the families of the dead. It still allowed 30 years for quake prone, Heritage bldgs to be brought up to code & 20 years for other quake prone bldgs to be brought up to code. It ignored all the Coroner's reports & Royal Commission of Inquiry reports. There was no outrage at 185 deaths from NZ National govt, just silence.

And cops did zilch about it. Cops had the CBD red zone to themselves with Civil Defence & CERA demolishers & NZDF cordon soldiers for 28 months post 22.02.11 Killer Quake. What criminal evidence did cops find regarding the quake dead in the CBD? Council, engineering, builder, owner accountability?

We endured newspaper articles & cop TV programmes where clever cops investigated road accident deaths, cold murder cases & cops expecting citizens to dob in perps caught on CCTV cameras. I heard no outrage from cops about 185 quake dead, nor outrage from lawyers like Chen. Where were the clever cop TV programmes about 185 quake dead?

Stanmore Rd / Worcester St crossing: Post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, daily I'd driven past cordoned ghosts. One couldn't miss seeing those ghosts, as some were covered in gaudy tarps flapping in the breeze. During the 22.02.11 Killer Quake one of those ghosts collapsed on Wicks Fish shop, killing 2 people. Along Worcester St & Stanmore Rd more shops collapsed, like Argonaut ghost. During the 13.06.11 quake more shops collapsed at that crossing.

If I could snap many pics of those dangerous, cordoned shops over several months before demolitions, why couldn't cops gather enough evidence for a manslaughter case at Wicks Fish shop? And that was just one example. Never mind 115 people killed when CTV multistorey collapsed & burned.

Coda:

Sun 14.02.16. Valentines Day, M5.7 quake. Christ Church Cathedral's W facade would crumble more.

30.11.17. After years of CTV investigation, NZ Police media release: "Police has determined that there will be no criminal prosecution in relation to the collapse of the CTV building in Christchurch in February 2011..."

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

See Merivale 1894 church demolished (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Christ Church Cathedral needs to stay (The Press / Stuff Co). 

See Second campaign group prepare legal case (The Press / Stuff Co). 

See Joyfully unmunted festival for cardboard cathedral (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Cardboard Cathedral finally unveiled (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Traffic hub to help drivers save time (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Stadium date upsets rugby boss (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Deadline for quake safety set at 20 years (Dominion Post / Stuff Co).

See Rumblings of rebellion in Christchurch (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Christchurch Town Hall $127.5m restoration approved (The Press / Stuff Co).


See New Catholic bishop reconsiders Christchurch Cathedral restoration (The Press / Stuff Co).

See Outcome of investigation, collapse of the CTV building (NZ Police).