The completion of the first phase in the Christchurch Cathedral rebuild is being described as a huge milestone.
More than a decade since the Canterbury earthquakes caused extensive damage to the building, community leaders and project managers gathered inside the cathedral building on Tuesday for the first time since the 2011 calamity.
With the completion of the building stabilisation phase, the moment was acknowledged at an event inside the historic building.
Deputy Mayor Pauline Cotter admitted she was taken aback by how affecting the moment was.
Paterson said the rebuild now moves into a second phase – strengthening and reinstatement of the cathedral’s main building and tower.
Cabinet Minister Megan Woods, who previously held the Christchurch regeneration portfolio, said it was a “day of celebration” for residents.
Woods paid tribute to the late former deputy prime minister Jim Anderton, who campaigned for the Cathedral rebuild.
The final phase of the project includes the construction of a new cathedral centre and visitors centre, beginning in 2025.
The cathedral is due to be completed by 2027.
Credit: radionz.co.nz
