‘Citadel Might Go Only At End Of Useful Life’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 12

‘Citadel Might Go Only At End Of Useful Life’

The operative word was "ultimately” said the chairman of the City Council’s town hall committee (Cr. H. G. Hay) when discussing the suggestion by judges at the town hall competition that the Salvation Army Citadel should ultimately be removed in the interests of the Civic Centre.

“Ultimately” meant when the Citadel had reached the end of its useful life, which might be in 30 or 40 years,

said Cr. Hay. He did not wish to be a party to any moves to force the Salvation Army from its present site. Cr. Hay acknowledged the Salvation Army’s valuable contribution to the religious and welfare life of Christchurch and emphasised that in the winning town hall design tiie citadel was undisturbed.

He said, however, that the assessors had been impressed by the number of times the citadel’s future had been raised by competitors, and “in the interests of ultimate development of the civic theatre scheme, a process which could well take 20 years, they made their recommendations.” The discussion did serve to highlight the importance of the public buildings near the Civic Theatre being in harmony with the town hall and related buildings, he said. The Salvation Army owns the land on which the Citadel stands, and recently completed extensive alterations to the building, including the addition of a large youth hall.