Historic Places Aotearoa In The News: “Heritage advocates want more historic buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies” (Stuff Online Article)

Heritage advocates want more historic buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies (Stuff Online Article)

"Heritage advocates, Historic Places Aotearoa, want more heritage buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies, its submission on the Building Amendment Bill says.

The bill, currently at select committee, adds emergency powers to and amends the Building Act 2004 to improve systems for managing damaged dangerous buildings in emergencies and for investigating building failures."

"Historic Places Aotearoa, and a member organisation Historic Places Canterbury, want the protection in the bill widened to include top tier or highly significant heritage buildings scheduled in territorial authorities' district plans."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108733704/heritage-advocates-want-more-historic-buildings-to-be-protected-from-demolition-i

 

“Holiday diversions at Highwic”-18th 19th 20th April

Holiday diversions at Highwic

Dreading the prospect of trying to entertain bored kids these school holidays? Fret no more.

Highwic – the historic mansion in Newmarket cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – is organising some kids events that will help keep the young ones occupied during the first week of the holidays.

Highwic volunteers will crank up the coal range on April 19 and offer children the chance to make and bake their own Gingerbread People.

“Gingerbread figures have a long and illustrious history, with the first recorded example dating back to Queen Elizabeth I who had gingerbread figures made in the likeness of important guests at one of her banquets,” says Highwic’s Samantha Keen.

“The tasty biscuit treat gained popularity over the centuries, and would have been a favourite of the Buckland family’s 21 children who lived at Highwic.”

Children will also be able to have a go at making and decorating paper dolls at Highwic on April 18 and 20.

Bookings for baking are essential. For more information on times and costs visit http://www.heritage.org.nz/news-and-events/events

 

Historic Places Aotearoa : Submission On Building Amendment Bill (2018)

The following is the text of the Historic Places Aotearoa Submission to the Building Amendment Bill:

Patron: Dame Anne Salmond, DBR, FRSNZ, FBA
2013 New Zealander of the Year

25th October 2018

Ministry of Building, Innovation and the Employment
PO Box 1473,
Wellington 6140

Submission on
BUILDING AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction

This submission is made by Historic Places Aotearoa Inc. (HPA) which welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Building Amendment Bill.

The reasons for making this submission are that HPA promotes the preservation of historic places in Aotearoa New Zealand. HPA also has an interest to promote the education of the public in the appreciation of heritage values. HPA is a key stakeholder in the consultation process and answerable to its affiliated regional societies and associated membership.

HPA has reviewed the Building Amendment Bill and considered the impact the proposed amendments will make on heritage buildings.

HPA has a particular interest in the subject of this Bill, for the merits of the sustainable urban quality and distinctive character of New Zealand cities and towns.

Too often demolition of heritage building post disaster is seen as the only solution to public protection. Other countries deal with heritage buildings in a more considered manner. Italy for example have teams of trained experts that will shore up damaged heritage buildings post natural disasters. This enables heritage and structural assessments to be made on a more considered basis.

It will be important that New Zealand trains people who are competent to make decisions with respect to heritage buildings and structures following an emergency situation and can either be, or assist the “responsible person” who is exercising their powers in the designated area under the proposed revisions to the Building Act.

HPA is generally supportive of the proposals in the consultation document as they try to strike a balance between the risk to life, the built historical environment and public / private rights during the difficult periods associated with managing buildings after an emergency and to provide for investigating building failures.

General comments:

In New Zealand under the current heritage management and protection systems, not all heritage is listed with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT). Much of the country’s heritage is scheduled under each of the various district plans.

For the purposes of this amendment, consideration needs to be given to acknowledging the significance of heritage listed buildings in the heritage lists of district plans, as required under the RMA, as well as those on the HNZPT National Historic Landmarks list and the HNZPT category one list.

In most cities there are examples of significant heritage buildings scheduled in the local territorial authority (TA) plans that are not listed by HNZPT or have been listed as Category II items. This may be due to HNZPT budget constraints, lack of information when buildings were initially assessed. (more…)

Victoria Square Re-Opening: Speech Given By Dr. Anna Crighton.

Victoria Square's Bowker Fountain at night. (Image sourced Otakaro)

Dr Anna Crighton has generously provided us with the text of the speech she gave at the Victoria Square Re-Opening.

The history of Victoria Square was the subject of Dr Crighton's speech.
"So Victoria Square has had a colourful history, pre and post European settlement. It was a favourite food gathering place for Maori, it was the centre of the city in early settlement times and it was the birthplace of radical Christchurch. Victoria Square is historically relevant for Christchurch - past present and into the future as a contemplative heart of the city – it is Christchurch at its best."
The text of Dr. Crighton's speech is as follows:
 
VICTORIA SQUARE REOPENING
Friday 9 April 2018

(more…)

Historic Places Canterbury In The News: “Heritage advocates want more historic buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies” (Stuff Online Article)

Heritage advocates want more historic buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies (Stuff online article)

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108733704/heritage-advocates-want-more-historic-buildings-to-be-protected-from-demolition-i

"Heritage advocates, Historic Places Aotearoa, want more heritage buildings to be protected from demolition in emergencies, its submission on the Building Amendment Bill says.

The bill, currently at select committee, adds emergency powers to and amends the Building Act 2004 to improve systems for managing damaged dangerous buildings in emergencies and for investigating building failures.

It protects category one buildings and wahi tupuna, places of significance to Maori, listed with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) from demolition in emergencies without ministerial approval."

"Historic Places Aotearoa, and a member organisation Historic Places Canterbury, want the protection in the bill widened to include top tier or highly significant heritage buildings scheduled in territorial authorities' district plans.' "

"(Director of policy Rebecca O'Brien) HNZPT is pleased at the provisions proposed to date and the progress they represent in providing appropriate protection for New Zealand's heritage.

However, Historic Places Aotearoa (HPA) and Historic Places Canterbury, disagree

HPA said too often demolition was seen as the only solution to public protection after a disaster.

It was the territorial authorities' heritage schedules that had standing under the Resource Management Act.

The bill's proposals might set aside RMA processes in emergencies, so it was essential the schedules were considered in the bill's proposals, HPA argued."

 

Heritage In the New Zealand Parliament (2018)

The following are useful contacts for Heritage in Parliament:

Cabinet posts announced by the Coalition Government:

Jacinda Ardern MP (Image source www.parliament.nz)

(Rt Hon) Jacinda Ardern MP: Prime Minster (Labour Party)
Portfolios of Arts, Culture and Heritage
jacinda.ardern@parliament.govt.nz

 

www.parliament.nz profile:

https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/ardern-jacinda/

 

 

Carmel Sepuloni MP (Image source www.parliament.nz)

(Hon) Carmel Sepuloni MP (Labour Party)
Associate Minister for Arts and Culture and Heritage

carmel.sepuloni@parliament.govt.nz

www.parliament.nz profile:

 

https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/sepuloni-carmel/

 

Grant Robertson MP (Image source www.parliament.nz)

(Hon) Grant Robertson MP (Labour Party)
Finance Minister, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
(Grant Robertson has previously held the role of Labour Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage and thus as  Finance Minister will have an understanding of issues related to Heritage.)

grant.robertson@parliament.govt.nz

www.parliament.nz profile:

https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/robertson-grant/

Support Party Ministers:

Eugenie Sage MP (Image source www.parliament.nz)

(Hon) Eugenie Sage MP (Green Party)
Minister for Conservation
(DOC has significant amounts of both built heritage and heritage sites.)

Eugenie.Sage@parliament.govt.nz

www.parliament.nz profile:

https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/sage-eugenie/

 

 

Chlöe Swarbrick MP (Image Source Wikipedia)

Chlöe Swarbrick MP (Green Party)
Green Party Spokesperson Arts Culture and Heritage
The Greens are a support party for the current Governement and as such have a Spokesperson for Arts Culture and Heritage. 

chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz

www.parliament.nz profile:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/swarbrick-chloe/

 

Hon Nicky Wagner (Image www.parliament.nz)

(Hon) Nicky Wagner MP (National Party) 
Spokesperson for Art Culture and Heritage

nicky.wagner@parliament.govt.nz

www.parliament.nz profile:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/wagner-nicky/

 

This is the latest update and includes the reshuffle of roles announced by the National Party.

Christchurch City Council Draft Heritage Strategy 2019-2029 : Submission from Historic Places Canterbury.

 

 

 

 

 

Christchurch City Council Draft Heritage Strategy 2019-2029

Submission from Historic Places Canterbury.

The Process of Consultation and Formulation of the Draft Heritage Strategy:

Historic Places Canterbury (HPC) wishes to commend the Christchurch City Council Heritage Team for its efforts in Community Consultation, developing and delivering this Draft Heritage Strategy (Strategy). The Heritage Teams leadership has benefitted the process thus far and HPC considers it essential that they continue to lead in all subsequent work related and resulting from the Strategy.

Secondly Historic Places Canterbury formally knowledges the actions of the Christchurch City Councillors who adopted the Heritage Team’s recommendation of starting this process by right at the beginning asking the residents, groups and Communities of Christchurch what they wanted in the Christchurch City Council Heritage Strategy and then developing the draft strategy driven by the Residents, groups and Communities responses. In addition, the CCC Heritage Team sought feedback in the process of formulating the Draft Heritage Strategy.

Historic Places Canterbury was pleased to learn that the Mayor and Councillors individually involved themselves in the workshops and events that were used to develop this Draft Heritage Strategy.

Historic Places Canterbury considers the process and philosophy used for the Draft Heritage Heritage Strategy adopted by the Heritage Team and the Christchurch City Council (CCC) as one that should be used as a Council Template for future Consultations especially concerning Heritage.

 

Historic Places Canterbury requests the Christchurch City Council share these processes and experiences with other Territorial Authorities as we consider they and heritage will benefit from this approach of consultation and this process of strategy formulation becoming more widespread.

General Overall Comment on Draft Heritage Strategy:

Historic Places Canterbury is in agreement with the Strategy and our comments are mainly suggestions of refinement. HPC considers it is an important to consolidate and recognise the many informal relationships as well as establish new ones with the Communities that make up Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula. HPC fully endorses this approach.

Historic Places Canterbury considers the partnership, participation, role and acknowledgement of the Papatipu Rūnanga as being essential and long overdue.

Historic Place Canterbury is supportive of the Draft Heritage Strategy’s recognition and inclusion of the heritage of those who are not part of the traditional European heritage and again we consider this long overdue.

Historic Places Canterbury notes the extensive use of the work “community” in the text of the Strategy.  HPC requests “community” should be substituted with the word “Communities” or something similar in meaning.  HPC notes the phrase “communities of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula” (p16 of the Draft Heritage Strategy) sums up the intention of the documents.

The Strategy uses the phrase “partnership with six papatipu rūnanga” to define its relationship.

For the Community/Communities it uses the word “collaboration” and “together with the community” within the Strategy.

HPC requests the CCC reconsider the relationships (as defined in the Strategy) with the Communities and change it to one of Partnership or Collaboration as appropriate?

The Strategy mentions a “Charter” which effectively quantifies the CCC heritage relationship with the Communities.

(HPC notes the terms and conditions for those who take part in Heritage Week could be described as partnership agreements.) Defining relationships clearly also means there is less chance of a misunderstanding.

Historic Places Canterbury considers the Draft Heritage Strategy needs more development in dealing with our digital heritage future which is already here and will continue to exert a growing and significant presence. The CCC has put online the Scheduled Heritage Building’s own Statements of Significance but what is its Strategy when it comes to its own history and the social history of the buildings it has within its custody?(At one stage an oral history project recording the experiences of those who worked in the Canterbury Provincial Chambers was being discussed.)

 

Historic Places Canterbury would like the Strategy to give an indication of the variety of roles CCC envisages it will be providing in supporting the Communities of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula in their attempts to record and promote their heritage.

HPC notes the Library has a digital archive along with the Canterbury Museum’s collection and similar organisations such as Wigram and Akaroa, the Hall of Flame at Ferrymead etc and the University of Canterbury and the Strategy needs to look at the relationships the CCC has with these. What are the Community Board’s role within their local area? How is their local history and objects to be recorded or kept?

The Strategy correctly identifies the importance of intangible heritage as it relates to the stories of a heritage building. Questions will then be asked, for example, will the Library have a role in facilitating or storing those oral histories?

Historic Places Canterbury notes that a workshop participant commented the Strategy has the potential to be a part of the core of the CCC in its functions. HPC submits the Strategy provides an opportunity for the CCC to lead by example in demonstrating the importance of our City’s and Banks Peninsula’s heritage.

The Strategy commits the Christchurch City Council to be an active Heritage participant as evidenced by the word’s “collaboration” and “partnership”.

Historic Places Canterbury fully endorses this approach.

Such an approach will necessitate a cultural change within sections of the Bureaucracy especially as it will require a change to the traditional bureaucratic top down decision making management style which will at minimum have to be more open and communicative. HPC considers the Councillors will have to lead by example as they have thus far in this process.

 

Historic Places Canterbury is aware of the work published, such as by Building Economist Donovan Rypkema which conclusively provides evidence of the positive economic contribution of Heritage Buildings (and their retention). (These economic benefits are not just confined to Tourism.)

The Strategy, HPC requests should have additional text that states that the CCC understands and accepts the Economic Value of Heritage Buildings, the value of their active retention and the positive economic effects i.e. revitalization, restoration benefits etc they have on the local economy.

Specific Strategy Comments:

 

Whāinga  Goals (p34)

Historic Places Canterbury requests an additional Whāinga be added, that the CCC will commit to updating and regularly add heritage buildings and sites to its District Plan Heritage Schedule.

HPC understands that between 1996 and recent Independent Hearing Panel there were little or no Christchurch Heritage Buildings Scheduled. It is important to acknowledge the importance of heritage however the CCC needs to actually commit itself to fulfilling its RMA Duties in its own Heritage Strategy.

Historic Places Canterbury requests the Strategy state that it will be adopted as binding by the Council as a whole. 

HPC understands that the Urban Design Panel approved plans for the proposed demolition of the Harley Chambers, a scheduled heritage building. Whilst HPC does not wish to curb the independence of the Urban Design Panel it is not unreasonable that the Strategy be respected and acknowledged by such organisations and only in exceptional circumstances should the Strategy be ignored.

Mahinga Actions

Whāinga Goal 1. (page 35) …

“4. Celebrate and promote the Council’s role as heritage champion…

  1. Celebrate how the Council models best practice asset management ..”

Historic Places Canterbury requests that an addition be made to this section that the CCC will commit to share its knowledge and experience of heritage management best practice.

The Council has extensive experience knowledge in all aspects of heritage building management i.e. procurement, project management, budget, engaging professionals and HPC considers a practical Strategy is to commit to sharing its knowledge and experience with Heritage Building Owners and other Territorial Authorities.

Historic Places Canterbury requests that Whāinga Goal 1 contain a paraphrase of Whāinga Goal 2 section 4.

HPC proposes that  “The Council …” add the following;

Raise awareness of Our Heritage, Our Taonga across all Council Departments.

Whāinga Goal 2

Historic Places Canterbury fully endorses Whāinga Goal 2.

Whāinga Goal 3

Historic Places Canterbury fully endorses Whāinga Goal 3.

Historic Places Canterbury requests further consideration be given to this goal and the responsibility that will need to taken on by the Community Boards.

For example HPC notes that Crown Glass used to be a prominent industry in Hornby with artisans living close by. HPC considers the Strategy should enable the local Community Board to participate in celebrating and preserving its own unique community heritage.

Whāinga Goal 4

Historic Places Canterbury requests that under

(Section) “4 Support owners of heritage building through; …. ”

Historic Places Canterbury request that an addition be made to this section of the Strategy. The CCC work on a standard or accredited list of approved suppliers of Heritage Plaques for owners of Heritage Buildings. These plaques would publicly identify that the building is a historic building.

 

Historic Places Canterbury’s federated national body Historic Places Aotearoa has recently launched a nationally available Heritage “Blue” Plaque project (inspired by the UK Blue Plaque) which allows a building to be identified as heritage. Such a project is an ideal candidate for accreditation as well as being part of an emerging national standard.

Whakatinanatanga Implementation (p42)

“Implementation of this strategy depends upon partnership and collaboration.”

Historic Places Canterbury fully endorses this approach.

As noted above HPC requests the CCC reconsider and describe the relationships in the Strategy with its Communities as one of Partnership and or Collaboration.

HPC considers the Heritage Charter to be an excellent initiative and is looking forward to hearing the Communities heritage voices.

 

HPC requests as part of the Whakatinanatanga that consideration be given to setting up a Forum and or Reference Group that would meet on a regular basis.

As well as enabling the CCC to receive feedback it will have the additional advantage of allowing the sharing and exchanging of views.  The CCC could use this to facilitate the sharing and understanding of views from the Papatipu Rūnanga and the wider Communities.

We wish to heard by the Hearing Panel.

Mark Gerrard
Chair Historic Places Canterbury
021157 5043

“Heritage buildings receive helping hand” Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern Media Release (16-01-2018)

Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Arts Culture and Heritage

The Hurunui Hotel, Marshall Building (in historic Tees Street, Oamaru) and (William Gray Young-designed one in )Petone’s Jackson Street Historic Area.

"The Hurunui Hotel, a Category One historic place, was built in 1868. Constructed from two layers of local hand-hewn limestone blocks packed with a mixture of tussock, clay and lime, it has been awarded $132,503 in the latest round of Heritage EQUIP (the Heritage Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme) funding to help repair stonework damaged in the Kaikoura earthquakes."

"The other two buildings to benefit from the latest round of Heritage EQUIP funding are the Marshall Building in historic Tees Street, Oamaru ($48,000) and a William Gray Young-designed one in Petone’s Jackson Street Historic Area."

The Media Release is as follows. (more…)

 CHRISTCHURCH CIVIC TRUST AND HISTORIC PLACES CANTERBURY DEPUTATION TO THE CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL OPPOSING THE RSA REQUEST FOR THE SHIFTING OF THE CITIZENS’ WAR MEMORIAL FROM CATHEDRAL SQUARE 27.09.18 Ross Gray, Deputy Chair CCT, HPC 

 CHRISTCHURCH CIVIC TRUST AND HISTORIC PLACES CANTERBURY DEPUTATION TO THE CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL OPPOSING THE RSA REQUEST FOR THE SHIFTING OF THE CITIZENS’ WAR MEMORIAL FROM CATHEDRAL SQUARE 27.09.18 Ross Gray, Deputy Chair CCT, HPC 

The Citizens’ War Memorial monument is a vital and integral component of the city’s most important public space, Cathedral Square, and it is essential that it remains so in the post-disaster years. Its structural and visual form creates a carefully orchestrated synergy with the structure, form and symbolism of Christchurch Cathedral. 

It needs the cathedral and the cathedral needs it, because of a shared meaning embodied in the crucifix form of both structures. We can see this in the Latin cross floor plan of the cathedral and in the 15m high structural cross of the War Memorial. This is no accident or coincidence: the Anglican Church gave explicit instructions on these design matters and sculptor William Trethewey and architect George Hart fully and faithfully executed them. In doing so they created what eminent New Zealand historian Jock Phillips says is possibly ‘…the finest public monument in the country'. To separate the two structures would be to considerably diminish both heritage structures. 

Re-stated: for more than half its life Christchurch Cathedral has been the core of a shared civic experience of great profundity with its nearest neighbour, the Citizens’ War Memorial. The Civic Trust and Historic Places Canterbury cannot see any valid reason to sever this physical and deeply symbolic bond. 

The Christchurch City Council through its ratepayers has recently agreed to contribute a generous $10m to the reinstatement of Christchurch Cathedral, with some stated restrictions. This follows a long history of the council making a significant contribution to the cathedral, including re-roofing and earthquake strengthening. Furthermore, the current concept plan by Regenerate Christchurch for the future of Cathedral Square shows the Citizens’ War Memorial in its present position. Planners have clearly not considered its presence a problem: rather they see it as part of the mix of features contributing towards a vibrant civic centre. The council has agreed to contribute half the initial costs for the redevelopment of Cathedral Square and must do all it can to strengthen the “Square experience”. The objection, that the cathedral is some years away from re-occupation, may be true, but in the interim, the south facing areas of the new City Library offer quiet spaces with views out to the War Memorial. 

In light of these factors it would be highly counter-productive for the council to accede to the RSA’s request to move the Memorial away from Cathedral Square to another city location. 

The RSA submission takes little account of the War Memorial’s function to be a reminder and a memorial of war and sacrifice for everyone, certainly not just for the comrades, family members or descendants of Association members. For instance: thousands of German and Japanese tourists come to Christchurch annually. Those tourists, descendants of some who will have fought against New Zealanders, are most unlikely to make a special trip to another open space to visit the Citizens’ War Memorial relocated there. In fact, because Christchurch Cathedral is so close to the War Memorial, visitors to it are provided with a magnificent, enclosed space whose prime purpose is to give people of any and all persuasions a place in which to reflect. 

The Citizens’ War Memorial, when viewed from east of The Square, presents a relatively plain rear façade. This is not a significant problem given the extent of the surrounding built environment, but if it were to be shifted to another open city space, this would present a serious visual difficulty given the possibly long vistas from any direction. The Memorial is absolutely a site-specific monument and as such is totally unsuitable for shifting away from its designated site. The Christchurch Civic Trust has a particular concern for urban planning matters and is alarmed at the ramifications for inner city neighbourhood living that any shift would raise: siting, orientation, impact on living values and the like.  

It appears to have been all too easy for the RSA to claim some sort of ownership of the Citizens’ War Memorial. It commemorates the ultimate sacrifice made by men and women from Canterbury, but those who remember are in fact all people – from greater Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, the globe. The memorial is owned by the citizens of Christchurch and is administered and cared for by the funds from those ratepayers. The RSA’s line of thinking, that the War Memorial must be shifted at its request, may well be borne of years of post-earthquakes frustration, but it carries an ill-founded proprietorial attitude and fails to take into account all relevant heritage and urban planning factors. 

I’d like to conclude with a brief comment from Professor Chris Kissling, Chair Christchurch Civic Trust: “The submission certainly represents my personal view regarding the war memorial staying where it is. I do not believe the restoration work on the Cathedral requires the shift of the war memorial and I have not seen any cogent arguments for such an undertaking. 

The Citizens’ War Memorial is not a chess piece to be moved from square to square at the whim of current players who have decision-making power.” 

The Christchurch Civic Trust and Historic Places Canterbury both urge Mayor and Councillors to reject the request by the RSA for the removal of the Citizens’ War Memorial from the heart of the city, Cathedral Square. 

“Landmarks Whenua Tohunga”- Details Of the Heritage Initiative (Sourced MCH Website)

(Image sourced Ministry Culture and Heritage)

Landmarks Whenua Tohunga : 

Northland and Otago are the  two Landmarks Whenua Tohunga that have been launched thus far. The Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) has the following explanation and details on its website.

The following explanatory quotes were taken from the MCH site:

"Landmarks Whenua Tohunga promotes New Zealand's unique culture and connects visitors to our stories and places.

Landmarks is a partnership between Manatū Taonga - Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The programme provides a unified approach to promoting and encouraging people to visit New Zealand’s historically and culturally important places. (more…)