Cambridge Water Tower
We were recently advised of a decision by the Waipā District Council which concluded years of debate.
The issue was whether Cambridge’s Water Tower should be preserved, or should the 24-metre-high circular structure built with handmade bricks in 1902 be demolished?
Murray Smith
Basically two points of view were tabled. Some appreciated the tower’s historic value and found demolishing a heritage structure abhorrent. They cited Heritage New Zealand dubbing it, ‘a rare example of a brick water tower and an impressive landmark’. Being accorded with an Historic Place ‘Category Two’ listing in February 2010 loaned support to that position.
The second point of view broadly took into account the structural risks accompanying aged buildings, with incumbent costs of upkeep and ensuring their safety – for example should an earthquake of sufficient magnitude happen, lives are potentially endangered. Accounting for that, plus cost savings of demolition over restoration, many favoured seeing the tower go.
Plans for launching a $2.5 million restoration next summer have won out over the estimated cost of knocking down the tower at $810,000. If this restoration incorporated practical ‘re-purposing’ somehow, might it introduce economic benefits?
I’m thinking here, of another well-known old tower with structural issues, that I’ve visited. That tower, with unique problems, has undergone structural restoration and proved to be a significant income generator. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, receiving over five million visitors each year. The economic ‘spin-off’ has amounted to billions of dollars.
I’m talking of course about The Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Italy. This structure is higher than our Water Tower, standing 56 metres on the ‘high’ side. Built as a freestanding bell tower for the Pisa Cathedral, it began leaning during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which couldn’t support the structure’s weight. It worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees. Remedial work between 1993 and 2001 strengthened it and reduced the tilt to four degrees.
There’s a point to all this, though of course I’m being a bit tongue-in-cheek drawing any connection between our water tower and the Tower of Pisa. The truth is, in life we’ll always have our ‘leanings’- just as some leaned towards a refurbished water tower, others leaned towards seeing it demolished. Daily, our politically ‘charged’ culture demands our position on ‘stuff’ be it pandemics, Treaty issues, Israel and the Middle East crisis, Trump’s America or whatever… The differing ways in which people ‘lean’ over controversial issues, provokes polarising rifts, deepening animosity and lingering hostility.
Can differing opinions be managed cordially? Not always. But since this is a ‘Faith Column’ here’s a thought provoking ‘baseline’ the Bible proposes for self-examination and calibrating our perspectives, as well as framing views on others.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never lean on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.” Proverbs 3:5,6
The Cambridge Water Tower is set to be restored next summer
