Cathedral: A city divided
The embattled Christ Church Cathedral must be completed, says the man who first saved it, but as the cost to do so soars, political and public good will is fading.
Cathedral restoration bosses announced on Saturday the cost to rebuild the quake-stricken church had skyrocketed from $160 million to $248m. Unless $30m could be found by August, the building would be mothballed indefinitely. Ratepayers and taxpayers are being asked to meet the $114m funding gap.
But at the weekend, central and local government leaders were either cool on, or outright against, any more financial support.
The restoration, which began in 2020, has already received $25m from central government. A further $10m is coming from the Christchurch City Council via a targeted rate – $6.52 a year per ratepayer until 2028.
Yesterday, Finance Minister Willis said Cabinet would have to assess any funding request against the Government’s priorities, “including investing in schools, hospitals, law and order, and transport infrastructure”. Nine city councillors also responded to The Press. Some equivocated, but none called for committing more ratepayer money.
A chorus of readers wrote to object to any further contribution. “Not one cent of my rates,” one correspondent wrote. Another said the rebuild should never have been started. “It was obvious the damage was great and beyond restoration.”
Philip Burdon, the businessman and former MP who successfully campaigned to save the cathedral from demolition with the late Jim Anderton, acknowledged some people would be “appalled” at the shortfall, but said the restoration simply had to be completed. “I hope that every community at every level can find it within its capability to find this significant figure ... It’s far too developed now not to complete this building.”
Burdon has personally contributed $5m to the project. He would not give any more. “There is a limit to my resources as well.” The cathedral was a unique part of Christchurch’s heritage, he said. Current circumstances did not make him regret his effort to save it.
Peter Beck, cathedral dean when the quake hit, echoed Burdon. The cathedral was nationally significant, he said.
“We have to pull out all stops ... Clearly it’s a huge challenge but it has to be done.”
Beck said the city would never be totally recovered from the earthquakes until the cathedral was fully restored. More that 700,000 people used to visit it annually. He was confident it could achieve those numbers again. Those numbers are supported by a NZ Institute of Economic Research (NZEIR) report, commissioned by the charitable company managing the rebuild, Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd.
According to the report, there had been $1 billion of private and public sector investment in the streets around Cathedral Square since the 2011 quake and another $1b was planned for the next 10 years. It also said a reinstated cathedral would result in an additional $20.8m in tourism spending annually. “Our analysis shows that the benefits of reinstatement outweigh the costs, indicating that the project should proceed.”
Business Canterbury chief executive Leeann Watson said the cathedral could not be mothballed. Many people saw it as a measure of the city’s post-quake recovery. Photographs of it languishing were not the images the city wanted portrayed, she said.
Council is consulting on a draft 10-year budget with a cumulative rates increase of 57.8% and a 13.24% in the next financial year. As such, many councillors voiced reluctance to add cathedral rebuild costs.
Cr Victoria Henstock, who had worked for Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd, opposed council stumping up the $30m urgently needed.
“The response to Saturday’s media announcement indicates the project as it stands has lost public support.”