Site in sight: War memorial move mulled
Christchurch’s Citizens’ War Memorial could be moved from its weed-clogged home beside the Anglican cathedral to Latimer Square under a council proposal, The Press understands.
The proposed new home goes against the wishes of the RSA, which wants to relocate the war memorial to Cranmer Square, where it has held the Anzac Day ceremony since 2012.
The war memorial in Cathedral Square has been closed to the public since the February 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. Over seven years later, the memorial is fenced off in the Christ Church Cathedral grounds and surrounded by overgrown grass and weeds.
A Christchurch City Council report written in February and presented to the RSA on Tuesday assesses the impact of keeping the memorial in Cathedral Square, or moving it to either Cranmer or Latimer squares. The report is thought to recommend Latimer Square as a new location for the memorial.
Dawson said the report was ‘‘biased and unbalanced’’.
‘‘I just believe that it’s pre-determined for Latimer Square,’’ he said.
‘‘We have proposed to the council that it be relocated to Cranmer Square, where there is military history, and we would like that to happen.’’
Cranmer Square was a rallying point in both world wars for the Canterbury Mounted Rifles and the Canterbury Regiment before they went to Lyttelton to ship out.
Dawson said the memorial’s current location next to the cathedral was not ideal.
‘‘The memorial is not where it should be. It is in a position where, for the next 10 years at least, it will be denied to us because of the rebuild of the cathedral.’’
Anglican leaders will open the gates on Wednesday – Anzac Day – to allow RSA members to lay wreaths at the memorial, as they did last year.
Council head of parks Brent Smith said the council ‘‘cares about and acknowledges’’ the significance of the memorial but was ‘‘waiting for the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Trust/ Church Property Trustees joint venture to be established’’.
‘‘This needs to occur before any options are considered,’’ he said.
‘‘The joint venture will be responsible for delivering the project, which will include managing the site itself. Work on establishing the joint venture is progressing.’’
Meanwhile, Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods met church leaders yesterday to discuss plans to clear up the front of the cathedral. The fenced-off area around the building has been poorly maintained since the 2011 earthquakes, with gorse, pampas grass and other plants growing wild through the paving stones.
A spokesman for Woods said the meeting was ‘‘productive’’.
‘‘We would hope to say more soon.’’