At Synod, the Recovery Programme Manager, Suzanne Price, updated members with progress of the Earthquake Recovery Programme.
The team are over the half-way mark, with 55% of projects now completed – 129 of the 234 earthquake repair/rebuild projects. This means 34 vicarages, 60 churches and 35 halls/parish buildings have now been repaired.
Sixty four projects are currently in the planning, tender or construction phases – 34 are in planning & design, 14 are currently being tendered and 16 are under construction.
Amongst the projects that have moved into the design phase are three new churches, replacing those lost in the ‘quakes – St Stephen, Shirley; Holy Trinity, Avonside and; St Luke the Evangelist, Christchurch-St Luke. The planning for All Souls’ to be built on the St Mary’s, Merivale site is now at the detail design phase.
Below are some of the current larger projects that are underway –
Church of the Holy Innocents, Mt Peel [Geraldine parish]
Holy Innocents had extensive earthquake damage. The repairs & strengthening are well advanced. Particular thanks must go to the Acland family for extensive fundraising to facilitate this project.
St Bartholomew’s, Kaiapoi
The oldest surviving church in the Diocese was moved off its foundations on 23rd August in order for rotten substrate timber to be replaced and new piles installed. Once these are in place the church will be rolled back into position for the completion of repairs and restoration works.
St Barnabas, Fendalton
St Barnabas has begun a major programme for earthquake repairs, earthquake strengthening and betterment. The parish have fundraised extensively and have also received generous funding from the Christchurch Earthquake Heritage Buildings Trust administered by Heritage New Zealand.