CERA occupied the CBD, with Demolition HQ huts & porta-cabins in Cathedral Sq, surrounded by steel mesh fence cordons & protected by contractors, cops & NZDF soldiers at variable checkpoint crossings on CBD red zone fringes. While CERA occupied Christchurch CBD, all CERA had done, so far, were demolitions & Restart Cashel Mall & a new, temporary, Bus Exchange between Lichfield St & Tuam St.
Council provided a CBD rebuild plan to CERA / NZ National govt, which did not respond. Besides some red zone, CBD bus tours, Xmas socials in parks & media spin, CERA had zoned houses with financial consequences for red zoners & green zoners, messed around by slow EQC, insurers & Fletcher builders, with huge delays in insurance payments & repairs.
Many CBD & Port Hills white zoners & orange zoners still waited for CERA's land zoning. Regarding Port Hills land zoning, CERA boss Sutton touted a bouncing rocks study, where geologists mapped potential falling rock paths, with Milan varsity computer modelling, 95% accuracy. Scientific guesswork, 5% mistake rate, waste of $500 000. (Weekend Press, 10-11.03.12). Sutton said Port Hills rezoning may be finalised by the end of June, or sooner. (The Star 16.03.12).
Nov 2013, nearly 3 years post 22.02.11 Darfield Quake, parts of Port Hills still hadn't been zoned properly by CERA!
10.03.12. Elastoplast mural on a broken wall: I'LL KISS IT BETTER. Post quake demolition site, Welles St / Manchester St
10.03.12. Elastoplast mural on a broken wall: I'LL KISS IT BETTER. Welles St demolition site view: Quake demolition site carpark, St Asaph St / Manchester St. Red zone, CBD high rises beyond: old Council bldg & Westpac left would be demolished. Ghost Odeon Theatre right stayed part demolished for years
The Press 12.03.12. reported that although CERA had promised information at the end of February, regarding strengthening of foundations for 28 000 blue / green, TC3 zoned homes, information would only be available in April from the Dept of Building & Housing (DBH) & CERA.
10.03.12. EXTREME DANGER KEEP OUT. Colombo St, red zone, steel mesh fence cordon & quake demolition site. All bldgs in the pic would be demolished, incl Westpac & Holiday Inn beyond
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Colombo St, airbridge, The Crossing
That was CERA / NZ National govt information pattern: Grand media statements about land zonings & deadlines (or not), building up limbo-land hopes, then crush hopes with delays & blaming slow lackeys, like DBH engineers. Over the next year odd, CERA minister Brownlee would be the biggest blamer, Council his scapegoat.
10.03.12. Red zone, Colombo St, W view, post quake Restart Cashel Mall
10.03.12. Restart Cashel Mall queue, waiting to enter Cathedral Walkway
10.03.12. Bottleneck, Cathedral Walkway entrance, The Crossing, Cashel St / Colombo St crossing. Most bldgs in the pic would be demolished, incl Westpac & Holiday Inn, middle. The Crossing right would survive the quakes
10.03.12. Queue waiting to enter Cathedral Walkway, Cashel Mall / Colombo St walkway entrance
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, S view, Cashel Mall / Colombo St crossing, The Crossing & airbridge. Ryan Security beggar-bucket on table
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St / High St demolition
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St view: ANZ left, BNZ right would be demolished. BNZ would stand part demolished for years due to asbestos pollution. Spark bldg would replace demolished BNZ
As for engineers, wanting to shift blame for their slack bldg inspections to seismologists, engineers should pay back all the money to those who'd paid engineers for their blame-shifting expertise. (The Press 12.03.12).
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St, red zone, serial quake trashed, Christ Church Cathedral, nave & S transept
Four months before, November 2011, I'd last visited Christ Church Cathedral ghost, when CERA first opened Cathedral Sq, from Restart Cashel Mall, down Colombo St, red zone CBD cordon to Cathedral Sq.
10.03.12. White / orange, plastic, road barrier, steel mesh fence ordon. Red zone, Chalice & serial quake trashed, Christ Church Cathedral. Abandoned Forsyth Barr, Camelot Hotel & PWC beyond. The last 2 bdgs would be demolished. New Turanga Public Library would be built on Camelot Hotel demo site. Forsyth Barr would be restored as Crowne Plaza Hotel. PWC demolition would enable the new RC Cathedral precinct
10.03.12. The 23.12.11 Xmas Quake Swarm stopped Cathedral Sq visits & since Cathedral authorities had recently decided to demolish Christ Church Cathedral, CERA again opened Cathedral Sq, letting citizens see Christ Church Cathedral again. Trekking to Cathedral Sq, I saw an elastoplast mural on a Welles St / Manchester St broken wall: I'LL KISS IT BETTER. Immediate demolition of Christ Church Cathedral would be wishful thinking, as public protests & court cases would cause delays for years. Christ Church Cathedral would stand as is, where is, before reinstatement began in 2021. Never mind ballooning costs. 2024. Reinstatement costs would be prohibitively expensive. Post court cases, why didn't Heritage hailers, like Anderton, Burdon, Belton, Crighton, Wizard, et al, raise reinstatement funding? See Coda below.
10.03.12. Orange / white, plastic road barrier, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, post quake, heritage protest, heart poster, Cathedral Sq
Heart shaped, protest poster, attached to Christ Church Cathedral, steel mesh fence cordon:
Where's the transparency?
The Cathedral belongs to all - it includes ratepayers' money. [Paid for some Cathedral repairs & Council's annual use of the Cathedral for some public functions].
The Anglican Church says this Cathedral is not saveable but refuses to release its engineering reports to the public. [Like CERA's & EQC's non available reports]. Why? Mayamoto Seismic Engineers says we can repair and totally strengthen the building safely for $20 - 30 million, less than the cost of replacing it! They are experts in this field, having saved much older and more damaged buildings in Italy, Haiti and Japan. Can we not at least get the freely offered assessment from these experts before deciding on our Cathedral's fate? What heritage will be left for our children? For tourism? This building has heart, ours.
The poster was unsigned & squabbing about demolition / restoration / rebuild / reinstatement of Christ Church Cathedral would persist for years.
10.03.12. Orange / white, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, tower, W facade & S transept, Christ Church Cathedral
18.03.12. Post quakes, "Save the Cathedral" protest poster, Cathedral Sq
Cathedral protest poster, The Press cutting on it, headline:
A STATEMENT FROM THE WIZARD OF CHRISTCHURCH...
Side words:
DAMAGED?
YES
RUINED?
NO
FAR FROM
WHO IS THE
BISHOP
TRYING TO FOOL?
WHY?
During 2012 year of public protests The Wizard would bad-mouth Bishop Matthews. He'd stood for years, once a week, before the Cathedral, jabbering to anyone who'd listen, mostly tourists. Pitiful that the Wizard didn't inform that Christ Church Cathedral was built on a swamp with shallow foundations.
Another protest poster, The Press cutting, Fri Mar 9, headline:
INTERIOR VIEWS SHOW EXTENT OF CATHEDRAL DAMAGE...
On the side, an unpublished letter by Ross Gray to The Press editor criticizing the article:
A pile of broken chairs, some tangled metal grillwork and some broken stones, a chunk of fractured timber pointing roofwards. And a chancel arch looking a bit worse for wear. Shock horror.
Wait on, what's this? An intact wall ahead with a pristine-looking stained glass window - and five or so resolute nave columns and arches. A sturdy timber roof. Is this really the best demolition dramatists can do?
What a beat up. Now we have the Gerry [Brownlee] tearful goodbye show, with huge numbers of acquiescent residents swallowing the line, complete with hook line and sinker.
What happened to the Christchurch fighting spirit which stands for the city and its heritage? Yes the Cathedral is badly damaged, but it is not ruined. [External walls were all broken & cracked, the tower & W wall collapsed]. Trust the engineers who do know these things from decades of international experience. [Like CTV & PGC engineers whose bldgs collapsed in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake & engineers who messed post quakes, rapid assessments with jumbled green, yellow, red stickering]! It can be safely & economically strengthened to full bldg code.
Surely the restored Cathedral, at the very heart of the city, is the most dramatic memorial we could possibly have!
Months before, many trashed, Christchurch churches were demolished: Sydenham Heritage Church, Brougham St; Oxford Tce Baptist; St Lukes, Manchester St; St Johns, Latimer Sq; St Pauls, Madras St; lethal Methodist, Durham St Nth; Trinity Avonside; St Marys, Church Ln... Steel mesh fence cordoned, church ruins remained: Knox Church, Bealey Ave; Chinese Methodist, Papanui Rd. Eyesores.
2013. Chinese Methodist Church, Papanui Rd, would be demolished. Rebuilt, 2014. In 2013-14 Knox Church, Bealey Ave, would be restored with copper panelled walls.
10.03.12. Red zone, post quake, War Memorial, Cathedral Sq
10.03.12. Red zone, serial quake trashed tower, Christ Church Cathedral. Novotel behind was restored
18.03.12. Orange / white, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed Christ Church Cathedral. War Memorial, Novotel, crane left
During my November treks to Christ Church Cathedral, CERA hung laminated pics on steel mesh fence cordons, boasting about bldgs CERA would demolish: Milano Bldg / KFC, demolition in progress; 24 Hour Dairy, demolished. BZN, ANZ, Clarendon Tower, Grant Thornton, PWC high-rises. Little demolition progress by CERA contractors, so far.
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, post quake, CERA demolition HQ, Cathedral Sq. Abandoned IBM, old PO, Telecom behind. IBM would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, post quake, Godley statue plinth, Cathedral Sq. Grant Thornton behind would be demolished
18.03.12. Red zone, post quake, Godley statue plinth, Cathedral Sq. Clarendon Tower behind would be demolished
10.03.12. White / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, Christ Church Cathedral. Novotel left was restored
10.03.12.White / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed tower, Christ Church Cathedral
10.03.12. White / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, W facade, Christ Church Cathedral
10.03.12. Post quake, yellow ribbons, red zone, steel mesh fence cordon, Cathedral Sq. Most bldgs in the pic would be demolished, except blue, Forsyth Barr, restored as Crowne Plaza Hotel
18.03.12. Red zone, serial quake trashed, Christ Church Cathedral
CERA was ensconsed in the red zone, CBD, spinning out demolitions, affecting CBD businesses. Post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, most of those businesses relocated outside the CBD. CERA would occupy & strangle the CBD for 28 months, protected by NZDF checkpoints.
10.03.12. Security man by white / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon, red zone, serial quake trashed tower, Christ Church Cathedral. Novotel & Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left would be restored
10.03.12. Orange / white, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed tower, Christ Church Cathedral
10.03.12. Orange / white, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, W facade detail, Christ Church Cathedral
At Cathedral Walkway entrance by The Crossing at Restart Cashel Mall, Ryan Security had placed a white, plastic, beggar-bucket: " Voluntary Contribution." A crowd shuffled along Restart Cashel Mall, to Cathedral Walkway & wandered along Colombo St, past ghost shops, to Christ Church Cathedral.
First sight of the ruined W facade, I saw a red car parked by orange / white, plastic bollards, before the Cathedral. Apartheid CERA allowed Ryan Security to park a red car in front of the Cathedral, while separated citizens stood behind a steel mesh fence cordon, staring at their beloved Cathedral.
10.03.12. White / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, W facade detail, Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral was more damaged by the 23.12.11 Xmas Quake Swarm. Collapsed W facade: rose window & collapsed tower windows gone; crooked buttresses, with displaced stones; collapsed slate roof on the porch between rose window wall & belfry; piles of stones below the W facade; pigeons roosting on roof beams inside Christ Church Cathedral. "Battering Ram" steel bracing still obscured the W facade & closed door entrance.
Kissing ruined Christ Church Cathedral better, CERA only allowed citizens to see some of the exterior, S nave wall & S transept from the walkway & to gawp from behind the steel mesh fence cordon at the collapsed tower & conked W facade. Citizens weren't allowed to see the N nave wall, including N transept, nor E facade including chancel & apse. As close, public scrutiny wasn't allowed, there would be questions about what was hidden from public eyes, giving protest morsels for Heritage hailers.
From outside, S nave wall, S transept, clerestory & nave roof looked OK. Just the tower & W facade kaput. Hidden, N nave wall, N transept, chancel & apse, anyone's guess.
So far, no photos were made public of extensive internal damage to the Cathedral. Just CERA demolition boss Isaacs saying on TV that an engineer, who'd been inside the Cathedral for less than 5 minutes post 23.12.11 Xmas Quake Swarm, had "felt very uncomfortable" & soon left. But the Cathedral still stood months after the scared engineer left. I'd also felt uncomfortable near & in many dangerous bldgs over the last 18 quake months, but took pics. Easy to snap many digital pics in 5 minutes!
10.03.12. White / orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, post quake Chalice, Cathedral Sq. BNZ behind, awaited demolition for a new Spark bldg
10.03.12. Post quake, red zone crowd, Cathedral Sq. CERA demolition HQ hut & blue portaloos, abandoned old PO, Telecom behind
10.03.12. Post quake, red zone, Godley statue plinth, Cathedral Sq. Clarendon Tower behind would be demolished
10.03.12. Post quake, red zone crowd, Cathedral Sq. Clarendon Tower left, Grant Thornton right would be demolished
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Post quake, red zone, War Memorial, Cathedral Visitors' Centre, Cathedral Sq
10.03.12. Orange / white, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, tower, W facade, Christ Church Cathedral
CERA minions, Ryan Security in lime green, Hi-Vis vests mingled along the walkway. Two Ryan Security goons in lime green, Hi-Vis vests & yellow, hard hats slouched behind the steel mesh fence cordon, by white / orange, plastic bollards, before the W facade. One lurched to the cop kiosk in Cathedral Sq. 2021. The cop kiosk would be demolished making construction space for Christ Church Cathedral reinstatement.
Security was there to intimidate Heritage hailers like Cr Keown, who'd threatened to chain himself to Christ Church Cathedral, over his dead body, after bishop Matthews had announced Christ Church Cathedral demolition.
Yellow ribbons were tied to a steel mesh fence cordon. Cardboard heart signs were tied to fences, with emotional-blackmail messages (as above) by Heritage hailers. They hadn't learnt a thing from deaths caused by masonry falling from unreinforced bldgs in the Feb 22 Killer Quake.
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, CERA demolition HQ, Cathedral Sq. BNZ left, IBM middle, old PO right. BNZ & IBM would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, CERA's HQ huts, Cathedral Sq. Clarendon Tower behind would be demolished
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Post quake, red zone, old PO & Telecom, Cathedral Sq, would survive the quakes
10.03.12. Post quake, red zone, ANZ & USAR / TF graffiti, Cathedral Sq. ANZ would be demolished
10.03.12. Orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Post quake, red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Cathedral Sq. All bldgs in the pic would be demolished
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, W facade, S nave wall, Christ Church Cathedral
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed, W facade, Christ Church Cathedral. PWC left would be demolished for the new RC Cathedral precinct. Chalice right survived the quakes
Neo-Gothic, Christ Church Cathedral was inferior to grander churches I'd seen in UK: St Pauls, London; Westminster Abbey, London; Canterbury; Wells; Salisbury; Coventry; Lincoln; Durham; St Giles, Edinburgh... I'd seen better in Europe too: Chartres, France; Sacre Coeur & Notre Dame, Paris; Sagrada Familia, Barcelona; Sienna, Italy; Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence; St Peters, Rome; Koln, Germany... CERA would demolish Christ Church Cathedral's broken tower once citizens were banned behind CERA's strangling cordon again.
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, serial quake trashed S transept, Christ Church Cathedral. Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel was restored right
Trekked back up Colombo St, snapping high-rise ghosts, BNZ & ANZ & demolition in progress at Milano / KFC bldg, Colombo St / High St / Hereford St. Twisted rebars festooned the ruin. During demolition times I'd see thousands of twisted rebars on part-demolished ruins. No kissing those ruins better. Across the street, Timezone, part-demolished. Burger King & McDonald's ghosts awaited demolitions. Snapped Colombo St, red zone, ghost shops, all with USAR / TF graffiti on windows.
Over the next year odd, most of the ghost shops on Colombo St I passed, between Cathedral Sq & Restart Cashel Mall, would be demolished by CERA, leaving dusty wastelands.
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, BNZ to be demolished, Cathedral Sq / Colombo St. BNZ stayed part demolished for years. Spark bldg would replace BNZ
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, USAR / TF graffiti on BNZ, to be demolished, Colombo St / Hereford St. BNZ stayed part demolished for years. Spark bldg would replace BNZ
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St / Hereford St. BNZ to be demolished. BNZ stayed part demolished for years. Spark bldg would replace BNZ
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Security man, red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St / Hereford St. Quake demolition site behind
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway crowd, Colombo St. ANZ would be demolished
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone high rises, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St / High St / Hereford St crossing. Hotel Grand Chancellor, demolition in progress middle. Holiday Inn right awaited demolition
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St / High St
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St view: Hanafins demolition site, High St / Hereford St
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, quake trashed shop, Colombo St, nr Hereford St crossing. The bldg would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, quake trashed shop & USAR / TF graffiti, Colombo St, nr Hereford St crossing. The bldg would be demolished
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, quake demolition site, Colombo St / High St
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, quake trashed shop, Colombo St, nr The Crossing
Back at the shopping throng on Restart Cashel Mall, I snapped The Crossing & the old bus Exchange ghost, Colombo St, behind red zone cordon fencing. Dark bldgs by the old, bus exchange were red zone ghosts for over a year, so far. I continued past revamped Ballantynes, past several ghost shops to Lichfield St crossing, one side, fence cordoned, red zone.
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, The Crossing, airbridge, Colombo St / Cashel St crossing
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, quake trashed shop & USAR / TF graffiti, Colombo St, nr The Crossing. The bldg would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, The Crossing, Colombo St / Cashel St crossing. The bldgs would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St, The Crossing, E view, Cashel St. All bldgs left & Holiday Inn, Westpac right would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, Colombo St, The Crossing, E view, Cashel St. Hotel Grand Chancellor, demolition in progress left. Most bldgs in the pic would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, The Crossing, quake closed, boarded, Food Court, Colombo St / Cashel St crossing
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway, The Crossing, girls looking at quake tribute flowers, Cashel Mall / Colombo St / Restart Cashel Mall
10.03.12. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway entrance, The Crossing, Cashel St / Colombo St crossing. Pagoda Restaurant bldg would be demolished for Kathmandu rebuild
10.03.12. Lime green shirted, Ryan Security. Red zone, Cathedral Walkway entrance view, Restart Cashel Mall
10.03.12. Steel mesh fence cordon. Cashel Mall, quake tribute flowers, The Crossing, Cashel St / Colombo St crossing
Post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, early days of the National State of Emergency, in the red zone, Ballantynes & other shops were robbed by a Tauranga contractor, who tried selling his loot at a Tauranga garage sale. It was the time when cops slagged off "looters" in the media, implying that Christchurch citizens, who'd endured months of quakes since the 04.09.10, M7.1 Darfield Quake, were all potential looters. (Canterbury Star 25.02.12).
Trouble with that military, mind-set was that cops & checkpoint NZDF soldiers didn't bother searching contractors & vehicles entering / leaving the red zone cordon. How many more contractors helped themselves, protected by steel mesh fence cordons, cops, NZDF soldiers, with citizens & bldg owners banned from the red zone CBD? More than a year post Feb 22 Killer Quake, I never saw any searching at red zone checkpoints. NZDF soldiers just checked CERA passes.
Aug 2022. Nelson floods: TV3 news reporter would sing the looting song again. Different disaster, same looting song. Ditto 2023 Hawkes Bay floods.
Colombo St: Trekked to my car, snapping ghosts & quake demolition sites, in & out of the red zone, steel mesh fence cordon. Fading, red stickered, ghost shops, fading USAR / TF graffiti on windows. Rotting contents, strewn behind ghost shop windows. Reflections of shoppers wandered by while I snapped. By the old, Bus Exchange ghost, I got that creepy feeling again, amongst ghosts. Most would be demolished.
10.03.12. Red zone, quake closed shops, USAR / TF graffiti, Colombo St, nr The Crossing
10.03.12. Red zone, re-opened Ballantynes, Colombo St / Restart Cashel Mall
10.03.12. Red zone, quake closed, National Bank ATM, Colombo St
10.03.12. Red zone, quake closed shop, Colombo St, nr Lichfield St crossing
10.03.12. Pedestrian avoiding quake hole on pavement. Red zone, steel mesh fence cordon, Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing
10.03.12. CROSSING CLOSED. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St, E view: Red zone, serial quake trashed, abandoned, old, Bus Exchange, Lichfield St. The old, Bus Exchange would be demolished
10.03.12. Red zone, serial quake trashed shop, Colombo St, nr Tuam St crossing
Colombo St / Mollett St: Sadness seeped from dry flowers & tributes by demolition sites, where 16 people died in the Feb 22 Killer Quake. Across Colombo St stood Beggs Music Centre ghost, steel mesh fence cordoned, awaited demolition. Beggs would relocate to South City.
2019. Multi-storey Unlimited Discovery School would open between Mollett St & St Asaph St. Mollett St would become a laneway with concrete seats in a garden. 2022. Luke's girlfriend's sons would attend the school.
10.03.12. Lethal Colombo St / Mollett St junction NE view, quake demolition sites made into carparks. Red zone, CBD high rises beyond: Left Westpac; Hotel Grand Chancellor middle; Holiday Inn; old Council bldg, Tuam St right would all be demolished
10.03.12. Lethal Colombo St / Mollett St junction, N view, quake demolition sites made into carparks
10.03.12. Lethal Colombo St / Mollett St junction, S view: Quake demolition sites made into carparks
10.03.12. Lethal Colombo St / Mollett St junction, W view, post serial quakes, demolitions & clean up. Left bldgs would be demolished for Unlimited Discovery School, opened 2019. Mollet St would become a laneway with concrete seats in a garden.
10.03.12. Mollett St, S view: Quake-lethal Colombo St block & demolition sites to St Asaph St
10.03.12. Mollett St, NE view, quake-lethal Colombo St to Tuam St crossing & red zone, abandoned, CBD high rises beyond. Westpac, Hotel Grand Chancellor right would be demolished
10.03.12. Serial quake damaged, steel mesh fence cordoned bldg, St Asaph St, nr Colombo St crossing
10.03.12. Serial quake trashed, cleaned up, Colombo St / St Asaph St crossing
10.03.12. Tribute to 22.02.11 quake dead, Colombo St / St Asaph St. 16 people died in the vicinity
10.03.12. Post quake, St Asaph St / Colombo St. For months post 22.02.11 quake, a red zone, NZDF checkpoint was on this fence cordoned cnr
The Press 12.03.12 reported that over 30 000 people visited Christ Church Cathedral: 13 000 Saturday, 18 000 Sunday. Cathedral Walkway would be opened next weekend too, last time, then demolitions.
Silly season: Close up TV debate was cancelled, between Cr Keown & Cathedral authorities, as the Anglican church refused to debate its own decision to demolish Christ Church Cathedral. During that protest year 2012, I'd see many councillors & old & new politicians grandstanding at public protests, like Labour MP Dalziel, soon to become Christchurch mayor & Green Party's Sage, later to become Conservation Minister in a Labour / NZ First / Green coalition govt.
Council salaried Wizard, who'd harangued tourists outside Christ Church Cathedral since 1974, but vanished to Timaru post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, said he too would save Christ Church Cathedral, together with Heritage hailers (The Press 10.03.12). The Wizard said he'd cast a spell to "Save the Cathedral" & would protest at Canterbury Museum every Sunday.
Despite CERA's broken tower demolition, as mentioned above, protests & court cases would stop more Christ Church Cathedral demolition for years.
10.03.12. Post quakes, St Asaph St carpark NE view: Red zone, quake damaged, Odeon Theatre, Manchester St. Odeon Theatre would be part demolished, Tuam St facade retained
10.03.12. Welles St N view: Quake demolition site made into a carpark; Red zone, CBD bldgs - serial quake trashed, old Council bldg left, Westpac middle, Odeon Theatre right. Council bldg & Westpac would be demolished. Odeon Theatre would be part demolished, Tuam St facade retained
10.03.12. I'LL KISS IT BETTER. Post quakes demolition site, Welles St / Manchester St
10.03.12. Welles St S view, Port Hills: Left, Manchester St / Southwark St, quake demolition site, made into a carpark. Right, serial quake trashed, old station clock tower. The old station would be demolished
Sun 18.03.12. Leah & I had a last look at Christ Church Cathedral. Mid afternoon, we queued a bit (100m+) in Restart Cashel Mall, before entering Ryan Security bottleneck entrance to Cathedral Walkway. A security man used a hand-counter to count walkers. Another security man sat on a plastic seat beneath 27C sun at the walkway entrance.
Like last weekend, a couple of white, plastic, beggar-buckets solicited voluntary contributions for Ryan Security along the walkway. The queue went fast & congestion eased in the walkway.
Food-rotting smell wafted when we passed KFC demolition site & McDonald's & Burger King ghosts. Red car, still parked in Cathedral Sq, a Ryan Security car, parked by the cop kiosk, 2 cop vehicles too. A Ryan Security man sat on a plastic seat beneath a tree by the cop kiosk.
By the steel mesh fence cordon, Heritage hailers solicited signatures to "Save the Cathedral." People queued to KISS IT BETTER. By Novotel, a tall crane stood, with a steel oblong on a chain, ready for CERA demolition once citizens left.
Mon 19.03.12. The Press reported 32 000 people visited Cathedral Sq last weekend. Thus over two weekends, over 60 000 people visited Christ Church Cathedral, before CERA's demolition attempt.
Dirty air: Leah & I both had Campylobacter diarrhoea, vomiting & fevers. Caused by the dry, hot nor'wester blowing bacterial spores. Several times during quake months, I'd had mild infections, due to sewage spores & rot spores scattered by nor'westers. Pre-quakes, my immune system was potent. There weren't enough CERA dust-laying, water tankers on nor'wester days.
*Trekked Manchester St, St Asaph St, Colombo St, Cathedral Sq. 207 images.
Coda:
November 2013. Although Cathedral Sq would open to the public again, Christ Church Cathedral would still be steel mesh fence cordoned. CERA demolition would be delayed due to legal wrangling between Heritage hailers & the Anglican diocese.
March 2015. No Christ Church Cathedral progress, wrangling ongoing. Christ Church Cathedral, weathered by elements, still steel mesh fence cordoned.
The Press 25.01.16. Christ Church Cathedral, still as is, where is, no progress on CERA demolition, versus Heritage hailer restoration, versus Anglican diocese rebuild. A mediator between Christ Church Cathedral authorities & Burdon / Anderton restoration hailers (grandstanding, ex politicians) was paid $43 000 for a report saying Christ Church Cathedral could be restored for $105m, or rebuilt for $66m!
Sun 14.02.16. Valentines Day, M5.7 quake. Christ Church Cathedral's W facade would crumble more, despite the steel, "Battering Ram" buttressing the facade.
August 2017. No progress: Anglican diocese, Heritage hailers & NZ National govt still dithered, while Bishop Matthews awaited a September synod decision on Christ Church Cathedral restoration / rebuild.
2018. NZ National govt, ousted by a Labour / NZ First / Green Coalition govt. Bishop Matthews resigned. 29.06.18. Regeneration Minister, Dr Megan Woods said Christ Church Cathedral would be restored. Variables like restoration time & costs were vague. Justin Murray, investment banker & Christchurch Airport director would liaise financially between NZ govt & church officials regarding Christ Church Cathedral restoration, later labled "reinstatement."
April 2021. While in Christchurch for Leah's University of Canterbury graduation, I wandered past Christ Church Cathedral in the process of reinstatement. Snapped info boards festooning the permanent fence cordon around Christ Church Cathedral. Info:
TRANSFORMING A 19TH CENTURY CATHEDRAL FOR THE NEXT CENTURY
The Cathedral will be significantly stronger and be 100% of the new Building Standard. Its walls, columns and buttresses will be strengthened with hidden steel or concrete.
Base isolators, large 'seismic pads' will sit between a new Cathedral floor and the new foundations, to reduce earthquake impacts, a bit like suspension in a car.
The exterior will look much as it always has. It will be more welcoming and have a stronger connection to Cathedral Square.
A COMPLEX PUZZLE
Unlike a new building where you start at the foundation and build up, the damaged Cathedral is like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle with many pieces intact but with some pieces missing and other pieces unusable.
A big part of this project's complexity is working out how to sequence the works for safety and efficiency. Our planners, architects, heritage experts, engineers and builders have worked on this challenge together.
2020 ONWARDS
PRECONSTRUCTION
The first step was thorough planning. We gathered information about the Cathedral. Its history, how it was constructed, ground conditions, previous restoration and strengthening work, and further investigated damage from the earthquakes.
CATHEDRAL STABILISATION
The first stage of the physical work is stabilising the Cathedral so it is safe enough to work on.
CATHEDRAL STRENGTHENING AND REINSTATEMENT
The next stage is strengthening and reinstatement, including installing a new structural frame, reinstating the walls, and constructing the new foundation and base isolation.
ANCILLARY BUILDINGS, VISITORS' CENTRE, TOWER
The last stages will be the ancillary buildings, visitors' centre and tower.
RIGHT NOW
We're stabilising the Cathedral to reduce collapse hazards and make it safer to work on. We will also be installing temporary weather proofing. This work will take around 24 months.
OVERALL APPROACH
The earthquakes damaged some parts of the Cathedral more than others. Careful planning is required for the best and safest approach to the work, with some areas needing deconstruction to reduce risk and enable access.
Eventually the building will be safe enough for workers to re-enter. Then we can carry out more investigative work.
Aspects of the building will look different during stabilisation, however, once reinstated the Cathedral will look very similar. We are taking special care of the heritage fabric and values during the project.
VESTRIES (1964)
*Removing the north and south structures to enable safe access to the main Cathedral.
APSE
*Installing steel support frame.
NORTH / SOUTH TRANSEPTS
*Deconstructing damaged masonry.
*Installing temproary steel support frame.
*Adding temporary wall cladding.
NORTH / SOUTH AISLE WALL AND ROOF AREAS
*Installing new temporary steel support and roof bracing.
*Adding roof.
VISITORS' CENTRE (1995)
*Removing the building to enable safe access to the main Cathedral.
NORTH PORCH
*Installing temporary steel support frame.
*Adding temporary roof.
TOWER BASE
*Deconstructing remaining areas of the base.
WEST END
*Deconstructing the damaged porch and wall areas.
*Installing steel support frame.
*Adding temporary wall cladding.
INTERIOR WORKS - NAVE AND CROSSING
*Making safe.
*Installing temporary structural support.
MAKE A DONATION
By making a gift you will be helping to 'rebuild' this Cathedral for us and all who come after us.
Donations over $5 are tax deductable for New Zealand taxpayers.
Kiss It Better huh?
Content & pics, Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
See Huge uncertainty in building design (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Wizard in save cathedral bid (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Govt paid lawyer $43K for Christchurch Cathedral report (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Rebuild Christchurch Cathedral with modern materials... (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Christ Church Cathedral rebuild within 10 years but cost not certain says new boss (The Press / Stuff Co).
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