The tower was damaged during the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and the operation of the time ball stopped . The buildings were significantly damaged during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake . The New Zealand Heritage Trust decided that it would be dismantled after engineering advice indicated that the building could not be saved due to public safety concerns , though they hoped to salvage the time ball mechanism and were investigating whether reconstruction was a viable option . The tower collapsed during an aftershock on 13 June 2011
2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
Lyttelton Timeball Station