Blog

So where should the light switches be in our re-opened cathedral? That is one of the questions our electrical engineers have asked. Seems simple enough, but with all the wiring being renewed – yes the cathedral is being literally re-energised - there are opportunities to rethink the positions of our distribution boards and switches to ensure they are less intrusive elements in our stone church. Electric lighting was probably installed in the church in the early 1900s and replaced gas pillar... read more

Well, that’s what we are working to find out. Dr Dmytro Dizhur and assistant Dr Marta Giaretton were on site for three days in January investigating the makeup of our stone walls. Using a combination of techniques, the aim was to gain a lot more information on the properties of our unreinforced masonry walls. This is no simple matter as Taranaki Cathedral has walls of many different ages. The oldest wall erected in 1846 is to the left of the old... read more

The Hui held in the Interim Cathedral on September 10 marked a significant milestone for The Cathedral Project. In a formal ceremony, the Reeves family gave its blessing to the association of Sir Paul Reeves’ name with the proposed Atrium at the south of The Cathedral. Preliminary designs for the Atrium show it as a light filled space looking out to Pukaka Pā and the churchyard. Designed to complement the expanded range of activities to be hosted in the Cathedral, this... read more

Breaking big projects down into lots of small, manageable and consecutive steps is really what project management is all about. Cathedral Remediation + Design Manager Jenny Goddard says that over the last few months a few of those important steps in The Cathedral Project have been tackled. In June, soil testing was completed. Hamilton-based Beca geotechnical engineer, Madeleine Prebble and Jordan Young, an undergraduate in mechanical engineering (and son of New Plymouth MP Jonathan Young), were on site to gain more... read more

Do you know the feeling when you have a big project on, someone comes along with a well reasoned argument, (joins all the dots) and you suddenly realise that the project just got a whole lot bigger - but also more worthwhile. Cathedral Remediation and Design Manager Jenny Goddard knows the feeling. The Way Ahead document, distributed and discussed with the parish over the last four months, has joined the dots for many. “The job in front of us is not... read more

The November earthquakes were a timely reminder of the importance of the earthquake strengthening project. While there is no discernable damage to the cathedral, Jenny Goddard, Cathedral Remediation and Design Manager, said she was pleased not to have been inside the building when the quake struck. “It was scary enough at home - definitely the biggest and longest shake I have felt in New Plymouth”. Currently Holmes Consulting are working on the Preliminary Design Stage of the engineering works and at... read more