Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Committee rejects temporary cathedral funding request

Updated at 6:12 pm on 14 July 2012

A Christchurch City Council committee has decided it will not initially help pay for visitor and community services at the Anglican Church's temporary cathedral.

The $5 million structure, often referred to as the cardboard cathedral, will be built in Latimer Square as a temporary replacement for the quake damaged Christ Church Cathedral, which is subject to a demolition order.

Members of the council's metropolitan subcommittee on Friday unanimously turned down a request from the Christ Church Cathedral Chapter for $240,000 to help fund visitor and community support services to be run at the site.

Subcommittee members decided to wait and see how the services perform next year before committing to funding.

The decision has still to be approved by the full council.

Church 'disappointed'

The temporary cathedral should be completed by the end of the year and is expected to remain in place for at least a decade.

Anglican Church leader says they are disappointed by the committee vote against financially supporting services at the temporary cathedral.

In a statement to Radio New Zealand, the acting Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Lynda Patterson, says she hopes once the transitional cathedral is built the council might have a better grasp of its civic benefits.

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