Cathedral visionless failure and Christchurch rebuild botched

I AGREE completely with Civis (ODT, 7.10.17) that the plan to rebuild the Christchurch Cathedral is a visionless failure.

Why should the decision be left to the Anglican synod, when government, council and fundraising are contributing more than the Anglican Church?

Why should the design of potentially one of the great buildings of New Zealand be left to the Anglican synod? A synod of a dying church. A synod made up mainly of people over 60, backward looking, rather than future visionaries?

We had a golden opportunity to build a modern cathedral, looking outward, upward, and to the future, using New Zealand timber and other materials and involving artists and craftspeople from throughout New Zealand.

I agree, too, that government and council have botched the whole Christchurch rebuild.

They had a clean slate to create a userfriendly, modern, attractive city centre. Instead, developers are throwing up skyscraper monstrosities which dominate and shade the central city.

We could have had a peoplefriendly city centre, served by only electric buses and trams, used by cyclists and pedestrians. Ken Bridge

Hampden

[Abridged] .....................................

BIBLE READING: Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. — 1 Chronicles 29.13.