One of the sites proposed by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and endorsed by Christchurch City Council is Cracroft Reserve. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Two Christchurch sites have been formally offered as potential locations for a national Erebus memorial, one on the banks of the Avon River in the central city and another nestled in a Cashmere Hills reserve with views of the Southern Alps.
Families of the 257 people who died in the Antarctic sightseeing flight that crashed into Mt Erebus in 1979 have advocated for a memorial for decades, with some saying they had given up hope of seeing one in their lifetimes.
A proposal for a memorial in Auckland's Dove-Myer Robinson Park was abandoned in 2023 following significant public opposition and damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.
At a Christchurch City Council meeting on Wednesday, councillors voted in favour of the Cracroft Reserve and Avon River sites proposed by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
Staff recommended the council vote to offer a single site because offering two would introduce "additional complexity and delays" but councillors suggested a choice would be preferable, partly because of the short council consultation period with families.
Office of the mayor and civic services manager Duncan Sandeman acknowledged the "strong preference" of many Erebus families to build the memorial in Auckland.
"That is where the original commitment was made and that desire remains clearly understood and respected by us. However due to prolonged delays in securing a viable site in Auckland, [the ministry] has been exploring alternative locations," he said.
The offer was made with care and respect and was not meant to replace Auckland, but to provide the ministry and families with a viable alternative should Auckland prove no longer feasible, Sandeman said.
"The absence of a national memorial for 46 years is distressing for those affected and clearly unacceptable. Ultimately, our role is to offer a site, not decide whether or where a memorial will be built," he said.
Hornby councillor Mark Peters asked whether the national Air Force Museum at Wigram had been considered but Sandeman said it had been ruled out because of concerns the memorial could struggle to establish its own identity and the disaster was civil, not military.
A number of councillors spoke in favour of bringing families of the Erebus victims to Christchurch to view the potential locations.
Cashmere Ward councillor Tim Scandrett told the meeting residents he had spoken to were highly supportive but wanted to be sure the wishes of victims' families were considered.
"The majority felt the process had been almost disrespectful to the families, and wanted to make sure [the memorial] was always welcoming," he said.
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Friends of Cracroft Reserve, a volunteer group that assists with the care and restoration of the three-hectare reserve, supported the proposal, Scandrett said.
The reserve was "a truly special place", with its views over the city and towards the Southern Alps and had strong connections to the Erebus flight, he said.
Scandrett supported the amended recommendation but said he would have preferred a single Cracroft Reserve proposal.
Councillor Sara Templeton moved an amendment to offer both the Cashmere and Avon options.
"I really hope for the families' sake that having two genuine offers here actually does kick Auckland into gear, because that is where the families would really like it, and I really hope that's what happens, but we are here if they need us," she said.
All councillors voted in favour of the amended recommendation, with the exception of Jake McLellan who abstained.
McLellan said he was "not across the line" on the proposal but hoped to support it in the future.
"I worry that the pride we have for the city is clouding our judgement in terms of what is most appropriate. I'm also concerned we're perhaps handing Auckland an opportunity to not do their duty," he said.
He hoped the proposal would have the opposite effect and encourage the Auckland council to "do what they should do, and have some courage".
The tailpiece of the Air New Zealand bearing the 'Koru' the emblem of the airline lies amongst wreckage on Mt Erebus. The crash killed all 257 people onboard. Photo: Associated Press Photo
The government committed to building a memorial in 2017 but it has been mired in controversy, protest and delay ever since.
Last month three potential sites were shared with the Erebus families via online workshops - two council-owned (the Cracroft Reserve and Avon River sites) and the St James' Church grounds in Harewood.
Sixty-five percent of those who responded to a survey supported locating the memorial in Christchurch, with 9 percent conditionally supportive and 26 percent opposed to siting it in the city.
The Christchurch offer would be open for a year, allowing more time for consultation with Erebus families.
Air New Zealand and Qantas began offering sightseeing flights to Antarctica in 1977. By the time the flights ended - Air New Zealand's at the time of the Erebus disaster and Qantas' in February 1980 - more than 10,000 people had taken the trip.
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