$500k boost for restoration of cathedral

Taranaki Cathedral has been given a $500,000 funding boost towards its $15 million restoration project.

A Lottery Environment and Heritage grant will be used to help earthquake strengthen and upgrade the 172-year-old stone Cathedral Church of St Mary and its grounds for church services, arts, music, drama and events.

An atrium, dedicated to the Anglican Church’s first Ma¯ ori archbishop, Sir Paul Reeves, for welcoming visitors and hosting community events, using displays, audio visual guides and multimedia resources is also planned in the restoration.

The project concept also included the adjacent wooden vicarage, built in 1899, and on-site carparking.

The project received $5m from the provincial growth fund in April.

The Cathedral Project fundraising lead Cathy Thurston said the grant was well timed.

‘‘This is fantastic news and a real boost as we head into 2019 – a year during which we aim to begin work on our $15 million project,’’ she said.

‘‘It is our vision for Taranaki Cathedral to be a place for all people, and a place where the role the church has played in the history of Taranaki, including being used as a garrison during the Land Wars, is acknowledged and told openly and honestly.’’

Taranaki Cathedral was built in 1846 and is New Zealand’s oldest stone church.

It has been closed since January 2016 for earthquake strengthening.

Resource consent was granted in August, 2018, and engineering, building services and architectural consultants are nearing completion of the final design. Construction is set to begin next August.

Lottery Environment and Heritage provided grants for projects to help protect, conserve or care for New Zealand’s natural, cultural and physical heritage.