Historic Sumner Museum and Community Centre unable to be saved

Council yesterday agreed with a Council report recommending that Sumner’s Museum and Community Centre and Diamond Harbour’s Godley House cannot be saved and will need to be deconstructed and demolished.

Following the 22 February earthquake further significant damage was caused to the Sumner Museum and Community Centre building.

Community Services General Manager Michael Aitken says two independent engineering reports have recommended that deconstruction and demolition is the only practical option available.

“The building is now in a dangerous state and continues to deteriorate, sadly this means the building must come down.”

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says it is heartbreaking for the community to lose a building so closely connected to their ‘sense of place’.

“Sumner Museum and Community Centre has played a significant role in the political and social life of the Sumner community, most recently as a museum dedicated to presenting local stories and collection items; and a meeting place for the community.

“While the building cannot be saved, it is hoped the deconstruction process will enable the careful recording and retrieval of some heritage details; as safely considerations allow,” he says.

Many personal and Museum collection items have already been retrieved. 

Sumner Museum building, built in 1907, is the former Sumner Borough Council Chambers and is a Group 3 Protected Heritage Item in the Christchurch City Plan. Sumner Museum operated from the Sumner Borough Council Chambers since 1979, holding early archives, land deeds from 1851, plus many local diaries, photos, paintings, historic artefacts, and World War Two memorabilia relating to the area.

To the rear of the Museum is the more recent single story Community Centre building which is also to be demolished.

Diamond Harbour’s historic Godley House also sustained significant structural damage following the February earthquake and will now need to be deconstructed and demolished. The timing around this is yet to be finalised.

Godley House in Diamond Harbour is of regional and metropolitan heritage significance, and is a Protected Heritage Building in Appendix IV of the proposed Banks Peninsula District Plan. Godley House is also registered as a Category II Historic Place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.