WAR MEMORIAL FOR CITY

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24679, 24 September 1945, Page 3

WAR MEMORIAL FOR CITY

POSSIBLE LINK WITH CENTENARY -nr MUSEUM BUILDING p SUGGESTED the indications contained in re- % and technical publications from i suggest that in the last 25 * 5 general attitude to war i trials in British and some Allied I has undergone a fundamen- ; There will, without doubt, i to commemorate the $ e “ hose who died in the '■’> world War against aggression, i < d ev will probably take a differfrom those which were dedi- * i on l' the years following the e ala of 1914-18. and public authorities in ; Britain have given increasingly attention to the question in re . K e months, and the findings of sev- •' important and highly-qualified ■ fining authorities are now being -4 In an interview with a i of “Tlie Press" Mr Heathcote 4 a Christchurch architect, 4 ‘ttVntion to a recent article in 4 r Ingush ” publication, "Country * 1- embodying the recommenda--4 ■ nt the British Society of Arts *Ky Council on the principles - fp jieally, should govern the erec- ’ moi war memorials. "Of Use to the Living” «. Helmore suggested that these "Isals had special interest for CanrtgS at the' present time, because if? province is faced with the double S* of planning a worthy memorial ■ fti mea and women who died in ' t W ar of Providing an equally ] £sjr«3rs , S d pScfpTe V 1 war memorials - fflfnot y only e honour the dead.but use to the living, in the shape village centres, playing fields, gar1, social centres, and the like. The ' &s of the journal comment that * tf e tems are capable of varied em- : VSr "Service to the community, Sally to the young, can serve well guide to the form a memorial should take, but the eraSSrfs should surely be reversed; a Serial should not only be of use to during, but also honour the memory rf ftTdead. In addition to the utiliJff field or hall-adjacent villages 2av well decide to co-operate to form "!? really well-equipped common there should be the shrine, jSver humble, of each individual centres,. including Lonflnn he general principle can still be &ed but with greater emphasis on if spiritual term. A great bridge or Inble open space, while servmg the may’ still be visibly Zrged with the commemorative element,” the article adds. Memorial Avenues "Architects, who perhaps more than anyone else, have the habit of thinking and planning in terms of the Stare, have given a good teal of thought to these matters, said Mr Helmore! "Probably each one has his own Sea as to what form of memorial would be most suitable and most useful in Chrisichurch, but I dp know tore are several proposals which have met with fairly general approval. “One of these is Mr M. J. Barnett s suggestion for a memorial avenue from the Harewood airport to the city. TJis is undoubtedly an excellent idea, but it could be earned further. Many more travellers and visitors to the city will have to approach it from the direction of the railway station than from the airport, and if there is one approach to our city that needs beautiJcation it is that from the railway.’ The Christchurch City Council, said Mr Helmore, had already decided on the block bounded by Latimer square, Worcester street, Manchester street and Gloucester street as the site of a civic centre and the future town hall. It was a fortunate coincidence that the site of the proposed new railway station and Latimer square were axial with Madras street. Future planning of the city’should envisage the widening and beautification of Madras street, to make an impressive avenue leading from the railway station straight into the future civic heart of the city. Any such scheme should also provide for the opening of a vista from Madras street toward the Catholic Cathedral, one of Christchurch’s finest buildings. ’’Principles Fulfilled Perfectly” In its programme ox post-war works the Christchurch City Council had included a new road approach to the city from the north, said Mr Helmore. This could very well be linked up with the north end of Madras street. Even without widening, it would be possible to do a great deal with Madras street as an avenue leading to and through the civic centre; it would be preferable to a plan for a long-term programme of widening and beautifying. "There we have one possible plan for city development—whether as a war memorial, a centenary memorial, or merely as something that could and should be done for the general improvement of the city.” said Mr Helmore. “Probably a more appropriate scheme, fulfilling perfectly the conditions laid down by the British Society of Arts’ Advisory Council, would be the reconstruction of the Canterbury Museum. In a modern museum building there could be incorporated a shrine, cloister, hall of memories, or sven a garden, commemorating the dead of the Second World War. A building of that kind lends itself to the purpose admirably. The part dedicated as a memorial could be as simple or as elaborate, as large or small, as citizens felt desirable, the only essential being that it should be • part of the building through which *?ery visitor must pass.’’ “Part of Community Life*' It would be preferable for the central point of the east frontage of a hew museum building to be opposite Worcester street, thus making the Anglican Cathedra) and the museum building axial. That was not essential, but it was a point that planners would. « a matter of course, keep in _ mind. The need for the reconstruction of the Canterbury Museum was recouped by everyone, went on Mr Helmore. This was a big and costly task. *®d one that would be well worthy of me province as a centenary memorial or as a war memorial, or as a combined memorial for both. A modern museum should certainly be an inte - '- part of the life of the community, especially of the young. Its exhibits in part, an illustration of the Bof the province and of the on. No doubt it would acquire many historic exhibits from the war just concluded. ‘Tt may be argued against this Jeheme that to combine two memorials m one cheapens both.” said Mr Helinore. “The obvious answer to that is mat it is far better to have one really nne memorial than two ordinarily good ones.”