Church coming down

Quake spells end for 91-year-old building

DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ

CHURCH SERVICE: Catholic priest Father Aidan Kay and deacon Richard Booker, outside the earthquake-damaged St Peter Chanel church in Ward, which is to be demolished.

The St Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Ward is scheduled to be demolished today.

Like St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Seddon, which was demolished on July 27, the Ward church was deemed unsafe after suffering earthquake damage last year.

Simcox Construction had been contracted to do the work, and project manager Paul Scott said the demolition would take about a day.

"We'll do the demolition work on Friday and cart the rubble away on Monday. They [church management] have already taken everything they want out of the church, and we will try to save the roof if we can, but we'll have to see how it goes," he said.

The small red-brick building is 91 years-old and was damaged in the 6.6 earthquake last August, which caused cracks in its tower and water damage from a broken cylinder.

The Catholic congregation has been worshipping at St Peter's Anglican Church since their church was declared unsafe.

- The Marlborough Express

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Church coming down