Church on the move tomorrow

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 8

Church on the move tomorrow

St Andrew’s Church will be moved from Hospital Corner to Rangi Ruru Girls’ School in Merivale Lane tomorrow, and some roads on the route will be closed for several hours.

The 130-year-old church has been cut into four sections for the move from Oxford Terrace. A 96-wheel, 12-axle transporter will carry the largest transept section of the church, taking the full width of the road. The transporter, thought to be the biggest in the country, has come from Auckland for the job.

Three house-mover trailers will carry the other three sections.

Moving the four sections will start at 6.30 a.m. Roads will be closed to let the convoy through. The move should be completed by 1 p.m.

The church has been waterproofed, so bad weather should not delay the move.

The route will be from Oxford Terrace along Riccarton Avenue, Deans Avenue, Fendalton Road, Holmwood Road, and Rossau Street into Merivale Lane. Public notices inserted

by the Waimairi District Council hnd the Christchurch City. Council in “The Press” yesterday said these streets may be closed at the following times: Tuam Street, between Antigua Street and Hagley Avenue, and Riccarton Avenue, between Hagley Avenue and Deans Avenue, 6 a.m. - 9 a.m.; Deans Avenue, between Riccarton Avenue and Fendalton Road; and Fendalton Road, Holmwood Road, and Rossall Street, between Holmwood Road and Merivale Lane, 7 a.m. -10 a.m.; Merivale Lane, between Rossall Street

and Hewitts Road, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. The Ministry of Transport was asking motorists not to park at the side of these roads, said Chief Traffic Officer, Garth Hames. There would be parking in side roads, he said. “No parking” signs would be put out early tomorrow, and traffic officers would be directing traffic and escorting the load, he said. There would be provision for emergency services to get through. Some power and telephone services will be

temporarily disrupted, as lines are dropped to make way for the 12-metre high convoy. Residents likely to be affected have been told.

One street light on Tuam Street, near the church, had been removed and street light fittings on Fendalton Road had been turned round to give more space, said the distribution engineer (lines) of the M.E.D., Mr Eric Gay.