31 Oct 2014

Church 'must win Cantabrians' respect'

4:26 pm on 31 October 2014

An Anglican minister says if the church wishes to be respected by Christchurch residents, it needs to rethink its stance on the quake-damaged cathedral.

Billboards and flyers and being put up around Christchurch to gather support for restoring Christ Church Cathedral.

Billboards and flyers were put up around Christchurch to gather support for restoring Christ Church Cathedral. Photo: SUPPLIED

Christchurch cathedral, which was hit hard in the 2011 earthquake, is at the centre of a battle between its owner, the Church Property Trustees, and the Greater Christchurch Buildings Trust, which opposes its demolition.

The Buildings Trust released the results of an independent Colmar-Brunton poll today, indicating 51 percent of the city's residents want the cathedral repaired.

Two-thirds of those polled said they supported restoration if it was privately funded.

A member of the trust, the Reverend David Morrell, said the church should rethink its stance and engage with the wider community.

"If the church wishes to retain the respect - let alone the affection - of this city, it would be wise to reconsider its direction and engage in constructive dialogue with the town."

Some 1000 people were surveyed, and the poll has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.

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