It’s not your cathedral!

Stuff reported:

The Christchurch City Council has asked for an “immediate pause” in the demolition of Christ Church Cathedral in a move hailed by campaigners.

After a lengthy debate, councillors voted 10-4 to call for a halt to demolition while “deeper and more open consideration” of restoration plans took place.

I had some friends around at my place yesterday. We call on the owners of the Ibis Hotel to knock a floor off, as we  think it would be better that way.

Oh wait, we don’t own the Ibis Hotel, so we don’t get to vote on what happens to it.

The Christ Church Cathedral is the property of the Anglican Church. They have the legal liability if they decided not to demolish it, and people were killed in it while trying to restore it. They are the ones who have to pay (after insurance pays out) for demolition or reconstruction or replacement.

If the City Council really wants to have a view on it, then they should offer to buy the Cathedral for $100m, and then they can decide what to do with it. Of course ratepayers may have a view on that.