New Zealand to Rebuild Quake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral

More than six years after a deadly earthquake struck Christchurch and the city’s iconic cathedral, the Anglican Church in New Zealand has made a decision to rebuild the landmark.

For many locals, the wreck has become a visual reminder of the infighting that has slowed the city’s broader rebuild.

The Anglican Church says the ChristChurch Cathedral will be strengthened for future quakes but otherwise left to its basic design. The rebuild is expected to take 10 years and cost 104 million New Zealand dollars ($76 million).

The 225 members of the Anglican’s local governing synod voted about 55 percent in favor of the rebuild. The other options they considered were to demolish the ruins and build a new cathedral or give the building to the government.