Clarendon’s demolition ‘another blow to city’

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 8

Clarendon’s demolition ‘another blow to city’

The proposed demolition of the Clarendon Hotel is another blow to the city’s attractions and at least the hotel’s facade should be saved, according to a longstanding campaigner for Christchurch historic buildings, Mr John Allison. Mr Allison has recently retired as secretarytreasurer of the Historic Places Trust’s Canterbury regional committee after 19 years and will be awarded a certificate of meritorious service by the trust. Mr Allison has also been a member of the Christchurch Civic Trust for 20 years. “I would have thought that by now the civic leaders of this city would have put into place real

protection for buildings like the Clarendon Hotel,” Mr Allison said. “There has been too much short-sighted construction that is destroying the unique vistas that Christchurch offers and the architectural continuity so important to people’s identity and purpose in life. “Other examples of this include the construction of the Armagh Street BNZ building where it shades New Regent Street and makes it less attractive as a future pedestrian mall. “The high buildings on the northern side of Cathedral Square that shade it and block the vista of the Cathedral spire from Worcester Street were a silly mistake too. Similarly, the new Canterbury Public Library should not have been built on the public open space there which had helped to enhance the attraction of the Avon River.” Mr Allison said that Queen Elizabeth II Park should not have been sited so far away from most Christchurch suburbs. “A better site would have been English Park, bounded by Cranford Street and Trafalgar Street in St Albans., “Any new buildings along the Avon River in the inner city should nol dwarf the river, like Noahs Hotel but comple-

ment the scale of existing buildings along the river.” Mr Allison, who has supported efforts to retain the Theatre Royal and is a trust nominee on the Arts Centre Trust Board, said that during his years on the Historic Places Trust several important Christchurch buildings had been saved from demolition. “Among them are the State Trinity Centre, the Provincial Government Buildings, the Theatre Royal, and the Arts Centre. Important historic buildings that Christchurch has lost during my time on the trust include the National and ANZ banks in Hereford Street, the H. F. Stevens building in Worcester Street, and

Spring Court where the new court buildings are going up. “Every battle that we fought to save a building met with the same kind of indifference from Government departments, local authorities, and private owners,” he said. Mr Allison has been an accountant for 30 years. “I would have liked to have become an architect but ill-health prevented this. My interest in architecture and history has been life-long and complemented by a number of architects in the family.” During the last 20 years Mr Allison has collected newspaper clippings on a wide range of topics from historic buildings and trees to the proposed Rolleston township, urban open areas, and transportation. “Now that I have wound down my trust activities I can finally put the last of the clippings I have collected into my 100 or so scrapbooks and give them to the Canterbury Museum,” he said. "Many people who take an interest in architecture overseas often overlook the value of what. Christchurch has to offer. This city’s architecture should be for enjoying with fresh eyes each day.”