RSA dissent over Chch cenotaph move
A proposal to move the Christchurch war memorial has been opposed by one of the largest Returned Services Association (RSA) groups in the city.
The Papanui RSA voted to oppose a plan to shift the Citizens War Memorial from Cathedral Square to Cranmer Square because the move would lower its ‘‘aesthetic, cultural and spiritual value’’.
In August, the Christchurch RSA announced it would apply for resource consent to move the memorial. The Papanui vote was largely a symbolic move and does not affect that decision.
Papanui RSA member and Vietnam veteran Hank Emery, 76, put forward the motion opposing the move, because he believed Cathedral Square was the ‘‘right place’’ for the memorial.
‘‘I had a feeling, deep down, as a war veteran that it was wrong to move the cenotaph,’’ he said.
‘‘I have been to quite a few war services in my time and I have always loved that particular memorial.
‘‘There was only one vote against the motion. It was a democratic decision.’’
Papanui RSA president Chris
Gray said the memorial ‘‘shouldn’t be moved because it has always been there and it will cost too much to move it’’.
Christchurch RSA president Pete Dawson said the consent application for the move should be submitted before Christmas. The application would be notified, meaning there would be public consultation on the proposal, he said.
The $1.2 million cost of the move would be funded with $200,000 from Land Information New Zealand, $543,000 from the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and $500,000 from the
Church Property Trustees, which owns Anglican land in Canterbury including the cathedral and the cenotaph. If the memorial was not moved it would be out of bounds for many years while the Christ Church Cathedral was being restored.
The Papanui RSA vote was ‘‘disappointing’’, Dawson said.
‘‘It was a bit strange. We’re not sure what they want us to do. If they want to make sure the memorial is protected, then so do we.
‘‘This is our patch. We are the RSA that does the main Anzac service every year. It is the biggest one in the South Island.
‘‘We don’t own the memorial and we don’t have the right to demand that it be moved. What we do want is some say on where we think is an appropriate place to put it should the decision be made to relocate the memorial.’’
Christchurch Civic Trust deputy chair Ross Gray, who is leading a campaign against the move, said the Papanui RSA vote was significant.
‘‘We oppose this notion you can move an important heritage item from Cathedral Square and stick it in another iconic and important space like Cranmer Square.’’