Hospital chapel

Press, 14 August 1989, Page 20

Hospital chapel

Sir,—lt is understandable that E. J. Carter should express concern (August 8) at the prospect of the Area Health Board having to expend $BOO,OOO on the present Nurses’ Memorial Chapel while also providing a chapel readily accessible to patients within the new hospital complex. That concern would be allayed if a perusal was made of the "Friends’ ” two-chapel. proposal outlined in a submission to the board (available at the Canterbury Public Library). The structurally sound chapel needs little restoration and it is proposed that a trust backed by several community organisations be financially responsible for its future care. The estimated • $250,000 needed to relocate parts of the interior and complete the new chapel would be considerably reduced if a modern finish was provided and the present chapel conserved intact. There are more than “sentimental reasons” for ensuring that the chapel is preserved. — Yours, etc PAMELA WILSON. August 8, 1989. Sir, —On behalf of the 60 members of the Nelson branch of the Christchurch School of Nursing Association, we wish to correct the assumption that all branches are overwhelmingly in support of relocating parts of the chapel. Through a complete misapprehension, we have been

contributing to the chapel fund thinking it would be used to relocate the chapel in its entirety. We are sure there will be many Christchurch nurses throughout New Zealand who, like us, have not realised that “relocation” referred only to the stained-glass windows and some of the woodwork. We have unanimous support for retaining the chapel on its present site; that this is possible is shown in the retention proposal by Friends of the Chapel. We are happy to suport a new chapel in the new hospital building, but feel that moving parts of a beautifully crafted building to decorate it is desecration of the worst kind. Is Christchurch to follow in the wake of Auckland and Wellington? There, historic buildings have been destroyed to make way for new developments which, now, will probably never eventuate. Christchurch and New Zealand cannot afford to lose a building of such architectural and historic significance.— Yours, etc., LINDSAY BOWRON, President, ANNE-MARIE BALLAGH, Secretary. August 9, 1989.

Sir,—E. J. Carter (August 8) states that the Nurses’ Memorial Chapel, built only 62 years ago, "cannot be classed with overseas buildings hundreds of years old and moss-covered.” In this relatively young country our grandchildren will never have buildings of that age if we do not conserve them now. Those valued heritage buildings which we admire in Europe were once only 62 years old. The Nurses’ Memorial Chapel is an architectural gem and an important memorial which must be preserved. The two-chapel proposal allows for hospital patients’ to be met, while preserving this significant, historic building. — Yours, etc., E. M. HARDING. August 9, 1989.