Work to secure Bridge of Remembrance begins

Work will begin to brace Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance in preparation for repairs to the iconic war memorial.

Christchurch City Council earlier advised that the temporary bracing to reinforce the memorial, which crosses the Avon River at Cashel Street, may cause unnecessary damage. However, a more recent assessment has found there is now an increased risk of collapse, with the Triumphal Arch needing to be braced.

Malcolm Park, Maintenance Operations Manager Christchurch City Council, says, “With Cashel Mall set to reopen, a reinforcement of the arch is needed to ensure pedestrian safety, and to prevent the arch from potentially collapsing onto and damaging the bridge.

"The bracing to the Triumphal Arch has been fabricated in such a way as to minimise damage to the heritage fabric of the memorial."

Mayor Bob Parker acknowledges the care that must be taken. "The Bridge of Remembrance is one of the city’s sacred sites, of great significance to veterans and their families, and we won’t put it at unnecessary risk."

The Bridge of Remembrance was opened on Armistice Day, 11 November 1924, and has served ever since as a tribute to service men and women of two World Wars and subsequent conflicts. It is built on the site of a previous bridge over which many thousands of New Zealand soldiers had marched en route from their barracks to the railway station, and ultimately to overseas service in the First World War.