On 24th May the Holy Family Chapel, Templeton, received the 2017 Enduring Architecture Award from the NZ Institute of Architects Canterbury Branch. It was awarded to the original architect, Mr George Lucking who is deceased, thus the Chapel Trust accepted it on his behalf.
The Chapel was opened in 1966 and was originally the Chapel for the Templeton Hospital / Templeton Centre where hundreds of people with intellectual disabilities once lived. The Templeton Hospital/Centre has been closed for many years, but the Chapel is still used for a well-attended and fun weekly church service for people with intellectual disabilities who live throughout greater Christchurch.
The service is run by our Enrich Community Chaplaincy Trust and the Chapel building is owned and kindly maintained by the Templeton Chapel of the Holy Family Community Trust. Bob Shearing (Chair of both Enrich and the Chapel Trust) commented, “this weekly event wouldn’t be able to happen without the on-going help of the Residential Service Providers and family members who support the congregation to be able to attend – and we are always thankful to these amazing support workers!”
