Ark - Godly gardens

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'Ark' a sign of the times
Godly gardens take on new look

By John McNeil of Challenge Weekly, New Zealand

EYE-CATCHINNG: When people first see the ark on Clifton Hill, their first reaction is almost invariably “wow!”

CHRISTCHURCH, NZ (ANS) -- Noah built his ark as a sign for the world of his time, and as a pointer to God. Christchurch, New Zealand, couple Ken and Bev Loader see their ark as fulfilling the same purpose – although this one is firmly anchored to the hilltop on which it stands and has been built as a function centre rather than to save animals.

When visitors to Gethsemane Gardens first see the ark, on Clifton Hill overlooking Pegasus Bay and the Avon-Heathcote estuary, their first reaction is almost invariably “wow!”

That’s understandable. The view of the mountains, city, plains and ocean is stunning, and the ark is impressive, glowing golden in the afternoon sun.

Gethsemane Gardens was a Christchurch institution when the Loaders started planning an ark back in 1991.

VAST VISTA: The view of the mountains, city, plains and ocean is stunning overlooking Pegasus Bay and the Avon-Heathcote estuary.

The couple came to the property in 1957, when it was just grazing land, and began market gardening. It was a struggle to make a living off the land but after some years and much learning they eventually made their living. In 1987 they opened the gardens, selling perennial flower plants.

The present gardens, covering 1.6ha, were developed from the nursery and are designed and laid out to portray the Christian message in a variety of ways.

“To our astonishment, the Lord began giving us ideas for the development of the gardens,” Mr. Loader said. “Over the years he has filled the place with symbols of himself.”

Today the site includes a prayer garden containing the Lord's Prayer written in box hedging, a Jerusalem garden telling the story of Jesus from his birth to his resurrection, a rosary maze spelling Jesus' name, a large garden laid out to spell Gethsemane, and a Russian Orthodox wayside chapel.

“It is always part of the Lord’s purpose to draw denominations together. We have i ncorporated Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox strands in the gardens,” Mr. Loader said.

In 1998 the Loaders felt the Lord was telling them to give up the nursery side of the business and add further display gardens.

For years the gardens have been a popular wedding venue, initially in the St Cecilia Chapel, a country-style latticework building in the middle of the gardens. And now, of course, the Ark.

Planning for this started in 1991, but the intentions and design went through many evolutions before the final structure was decided on.

“We had been thinking of building a tearoom, then a little ark in the gardens as a seat,” said Mr. Loader. Then the two ideas came together - as a tearoom in shape of an ark.

Then, about four years ago, the couple had the idea of an ark as a log cabin, with pointed ends. That was the breakthrough.

Building began in mid-2003, not without complaints from neighbours who feared an increase in traffic up the narrow, steep road.

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“We had permission to build only two storeys, which disappointed us because the original ark had three. Then we discovered the ground on which we planned to build was soft clay which had to be dug out for the foundations, so we went underground for the third storey.”

The ark took two years to complete. The top storey, Arkangel, is a chapel seating 120; the middle storey, the Arktivity Lounge, is used for informal receptions; and the Arkasions Ballroom and kitchen make up the bottom floor..

Furnishings and fittings all have symbolic meaning. For instance, the drapes in the ballroom are the seven colours of the rainbow, and the chandeliers represent the sun and raindrops.

At 32m long and about 15m high (the original was between 129 and 165m long, depending on which cubit measurement is used), the ark is something under a quarter size of the original.

However, the Biblical ark was a long narrow vessel, and the proportions were not suitable for the Loader’s purposes, so theirs is more like the shape popularised in many children’s picture books.

In keeping with their vision to see the gardens bring all denominations together, they hold ecumenical church services in the chapel on the first Sunday of each month.

It has been a highly ambitious project for a couple who, when they started it, were already well beyond the age when others would have retired. Mr. Loader plays that down.

“The joy of the Lord is our strength, and he will enable us to do everything he has planned for us. I have known for years that retirement is not in his plans for me.”

The Loaders won’t divulge what the project has cost. “We have to run it as well as we can commercially, but its main aim is to point people to Jesus.”

Mr. Loader said most visitors were amazed - speechless even - when they saw the ark. “We pray that people’s hearts will be touched by the Lord as they go through the gardens, but it’s the work of the Holy Spirit. We don’t force opportunities, but we will s peak when people ask.

“We believe the ark is a sign for the times.”

John McNeil, a veteran of 40 years of newspaper and radio journalism, is South Island reporter for Challenge Weekly, New Zealand’s non-denominational, independent national Christian newspaper.