This week, we celebrate the centenary of our Christ Church Cathedral – not to be confused with Christchurch’s cathedral of which there is little to celebrate and much to learn.
I love Nelson’s cathedral – its architecture, its tower, the Church Steps and the beautifully kept gardens that surround it. The physical location of our cathedral, atop Piki Mai hill, makes it more than a place of worship; it’s an important landmark in the heart of our city.
I also love the way the Anglican Church opens its doors for use by the wider community for concerts, Christmas celebrations and events such as the Adam Chamber Music Festival. It is the most visited cathedral in the country, enjoyed by thousands each year.
There are lessons from the tragedy of Christchurch’s cathedral. It was not strengthened prior to the devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. The cost to rebuild it started in 2017 at $105 million. Christchurch City Council committed $10 million and the government $25 million. It appeared doable with those grants along with $33 million from insurance and $24 million in donations.
Then the cost blew out to $248 million, resulting in the rebuild being mothballed last year. These sad, fenced-off cathedral remnants leave Christchurch with a broken heart. It would have cost just $20 million to have it strengthened before the quakes.
Our cathedral is also earthquake prone. It is safe to use but, like Christchurch cathedral, is at risk in a major quake. Good work is being done on developing a plan to strengthen it. This will require strong commitment by the Anglican Church, supported by the community, central and local government. We share a similar earthquake-risk profile to Christchurch and need to get on with this work.
I encourage people to join the centenary celebrations. There are guided, public tours on Saturday from 10am to 2pm, the planting of a commemorative tree at 3pm, a short Evensong service at 4.30pm and then a Centenary Service on Sunday at 10am.
I am in awe of the community effort spanning four decades through the Great Depression and WWII that got our cathedral built. The responsibility we share today is to enjoy and protect it for future generations.
