The church received damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake . Repairs were under way when the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake struck , when the church building suffered major damage including collapse of the chancel and most of the transepts . The church was " damaged beyond the point of repair " . Workers repairing damage on the inside of the 1876 Mountfort-designed part of the church were having lunch outside when this part of the building collapsed . The church was demolished in September 2011 amidst much controversy . Heritage advocates claimed that the church was of higher importance than ChristChurch Cathedral and more should have been done to try and save it , or it should have at least been dismantled by hand to save important architectural features like the ceilings , but instead diggers smashed everything up . Bishop Victoria Matthews defended the demolition , stating that her " priority has to be humans and the safety of the community . It was n't the time to take chances . " A time capsule containing the words of the consecration was recovered from underneath the nave
2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
Holy Trinity Avonside