The Chalice artwork in Christchurch's Cathedral Square. Photo: Wikicommons
A Christchurch City Councillor has described the cost of restoring the 'Chalice' artwork in Christchurch's Cathedral Square as ludicrous and called for an immediate halt to the project.
The council yesterday announced the 18-metre landmark would be restored at a cost of $400,000, including repainting and fixing corrosion, with work to start this week.
Councillor James Gough said the spending could not be justified, given the financial pressure faced by ratepayers.
"It's frankly ludicrous," he said. "Ratepayers expect their money to be spent wisely on essential services, not squandered on exorbitant makeovers for a sculpture.
"Roads, footpaths and essential core services should be prioritised higher than sculpture refurbishments."
Gough said he only became aware of the restoration project as a result of a council Facebook post. He wanted the work scaled back or deferred.
"I was gobsmacked when I saw the cost of this refurbishment and I expect many people had the same reaction," he said.
Created by sculptor Neil Dawson and installed in 2001, the Chalice was commissioned to celebrate the Millennium and the 150th anniversary of Canterbury.
The council said the aluminium leaves and hexagonal steel cone structure they sat on would be repainted, and existing lighting changed to LEDs, with the restoration expected to be complete in July.
Central ward councillor Jake McLellan said the $400,000 cost was necessary and if the work was not done, the Chalice would need to be removed.
"You can pick your poison - $16,000 a year to see it there each year for another 25 years or we can remove it," he said. "It has to be done now or it has to be taken down, that's my understanding when speaking to staff."
McLellan said the restoration work was a line item in the council's long-term plan, but he only found out about the work on Thursday.
Council spokesman Andrew Rutledge said the cost reflected the specialist nature and scale of the project, with framework, bolts and surface rust, water issues and loss of paint.
He said the restoration work was funded from the existing Chalice conservation project, so there was no future rates impact.
Rutledge said the mayor and councillors were given a "heads up" about the work last November, and were due to receive a memo on Friday, but the project was underway earlier than expected, because of the fine weather.
Dubbed the 'cone of contention', the Chalice generated much public debate when it was first installed, but Dawson said he was thrilled it remained in the square.
"I'm pleased that it is having a repaint and spruce up," he said. "It has required minimal maintenance and upkeep in its first quarter century, this will ensure the same for the next."
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