College “Earthquake Risk”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32234, 28 February 1970, Page 18

College “Earthquake Risk”

I A definite earthquake 'risk existed in two of I I the masonry buildings in the Christ’s College complex, Mr M. Warren, a Christchurch architect, told a two-man subcommittee of the Christchurch City Council at a hearing of objections to the Christchurch district town-planning scheme on Thursday. He was opposing the proposal in the district scheme that ail masonry buildings belonging to Christ’s College in the block facing Rolleston Avenue be designated as of I historic or architectural interest. Mr Warren agreed that the buildings known as Big Hall, the Hare Memorial Library and 'the dining hall fully merited being preserved if possible because of their historic interest and beauty.

“On the other hand, the Chapel has been so substantially altered in recent times

I that it may have lost value he said. i “What are known as Dayboy House and School House, although of masonry, are not in my opinion worth preserviing," he said. Both these -buildings were definite earth--quake risks. The Christchurch Civic) Trust asked that further buildings be added to the list of places of historical or architectural interest or natural beauty, in particular the old Normal School in CramnerSquare. Another architect, Mr P. J. Beaven, said that the trust was “very concerned about the fate of the school.” “The Ministry of Works is! allowed to be the only institution in Christchurch to say the Normal School is structurally unsound,” he said. The conservation societies and people concerned about the school should be allowed to employ their own structural engineer, he said. The Minister of Works (Mr Allen) tabled a cross-objec-tion to the designation of the Normal School as a place of historic or architectural in- i terest, saving that the Ministry of Works had found the school to be structurally unsound and ready for demolition. The chairman of the trust Mr J. Oakley, said that the design of the school was still very pleasant. “It has the quality of age; which adds something to our heritage. It was the first school in our Canterbury edu-

cation system outside church schools and the character of Cranmer Square gains a good deal from the building," he said. The'school, at the corner of Montreal and Kilmore Streets, was built in 1874. It is proposed to build a technical institute on the site. Mr Oakley said that there was an acute shortage of classrooms and that “it would be a shame to destroy something which could be used and build something else there which could be built close by." Wittout the preservation of such buildings Christchurch could become a “concrete jungle." said the chairman of the Canterbury regional committee of Historic Places Trust (Mr G. Miller). Another objection against the designation of an existing building as a place of architectural or historic interest came from the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission. The Rev. W. E. Falkingham, who is superintendent of the mission, said that Fleming House was not true Georgian architecture and did not warrant designation as an historic place. Accommodation for the aged on the mission’s Wesley Eventide Lodge and Hospice property could expand and possibly involve either substantial alterations or additions to Fleming House, or even its complete demolition. Plans had been made to build a chapel on the Fleming House property when funds became available. This

i would be en the Bealey Avef nue frontage, he said. | ! Possible demolition was the : reason also given by the trustees of the Christchurch f.Club as to why the club , buildings in Latimer Square, ■ should not be designated a • place of historic interest. The main wooden club- > house, which is more than a . century old, had been reno- > vated and large portions of - the composite block of buildI ings had been built only last i year and could not be described as being of historical ’ interest. i Because' the main building . was made of wood, its life , was necessarily limited and ; the time would undoubtedly [ arrive when it should be removed and replaced. Plans for a new multi- ; storey building had been pre* ; pared four years ago and there was a strong possibility ' that they would be acted on soon. The committee (Crs G. : Griffiths and W. P. Glue) reserved its decision on the objections.