If the people want to mothball Christ Church Cathedral, let’s spend up instead on the Square

Monday, 16 March 2026

If the Christ Church Cathedral will remain half-finished for years to come, we cannot allow this to hold back the revitalisation of Cathedral Square, writes Press editor Kamala Hayman.

OPINION: Recently I urged support for the rebuild of Christ Church Cathedral because the city needs its heart back - the Square in particular.

But the feedback since - to me directly as well as comments online and in letters to The Press - suggest there is little appetite to increase public funding for its reinstatement. They wrote:

'We do not need to give the Anglican church any further money. Tell them to sell some land.'

'I have friends who are just coping with the rates.'

'No public funds should be put to recreating an anachronistic building catering only to a declining sector of the population.'

A letter writer, a lifelong Anglican, said the restoration money would be better given to the City Mission, so there could be 'more people with a roof over their heads'.

There are supporters, including one who described the cathedral as Christchurch's Notre-Dame, but they appear to be in the minority.

We won't know until the end of March, exactly what submissions will be made to the city council regarding its support for the cathedral and three other heritage buildings. But I predict an overwhelming rejection of a rates increase to help fund heritage rebuilds.

If so, the city must accept the cathedral will remain half-finished for years to come.

Cathedral Square has been described as a wasteland by a neighbouring building owner.

What we cannot accept is allowing this to hold back the revitalisation of the Square.

The council has a budget of $28 million for the Square and must find a way to make this wasteland welcoming once again.

The last Cathedral Square redesign was released in 2018 by the now defunct rebuild planning agency Regenerate Christchurch.

The fences around the cathedral should be pushed back to restore sightlines visually connecting Colombo St south to its north, and people-friendly areas created to encourage visitors to linger and investors to bring back shops, hotels, and cafes.

I can't imagine fake grass doing the trick, as mayor Phil Mauger mused, nor a $60-80m shade cloth design as dreamed up by Regenerate (see below). But Mauger is absolutely right on this: “We’ve got to get our [city] centre back.” And urgently.