2 August 2012
For Immediate Release
Six-Year-Old Boy To Push Implosion Button
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY – Today (August 2) – 3pm Radio Network House, Gloucester Street entrance – Jayden Halliwell and his
mum Justine will join representatives from the demolition companies, Isaac Theatre Royal, Canterbury Heritage Buildings
Fund, Child Cancer Foundation, Naylor Love and CERES NZ.
CHRISTCHURCH - Six-year-old Jayden Halliwell from Queenstown will be the first person ever in New Zealand to blow up a
building when he pushes the button on Sunday August 5 that will implode the 14-storey Radio Network House.
Jayden is currently being treated for Wilms’ tumour, which is cancer of the kidney. He and his mum Justine are staying
at Ronald McDonald House while he undergoes chemotherapy. He is expected to have surgery soon.
The winners of the Trade Me auction to implode the Radio Network House – seven Christchurch demolition companies and one
Auckland demolition company – wanted to give this opportunity to a child who truly deserved it. They offered the
opportunity to the Child Cancer Foundation who nominated Jayden.
The eight demolition companies are Christchurch’s Shilton and Brown Demolition, March Construction, D Construction,
Jurgens Demolition, Dormer Construction, Pro Tranz Contracting and Clampet Developments and Auckland’s Ward Demolition.
Jim Shilton from Shilton and Brown Demolition says, “As an industry we are pleased we can give something back to the
restoration of Christchurch’s heritage buildings. Being able to offer someone like Jayden a once-in-a lifetime
opportunity is an added bonus.”
Trade Me said the auction was the third most viewed auction of all time (see Top 11 below) with 459,420 views, 113 bids
and 243 questions asked in the question and answers.
Lead contractor Naylor Love’s Canterbury Regional Manager Peter Lockhart says, “This is a great outcome. It is brilliant
to see the demolition industry stepping up to make this happen.”
Kristina Pickford, Fundraising Manager for the Canterbury Earthquake Heritage Buildings Fund, says, “We are delighted
with the response to the auction and want to thank the demolition companies for their contribution to saving heritage
buildings.”
Neil Cox, General Manager for the Isaac Theatre Royal, says the final bid of $26,000 will be put towards the heritage
restoration of the Theatre Royal’s façade. The Government will match the bid amount and this money will go towards
restoration of other buildings identified by the Fund.
Bill Johnson from contractor CERES NZ says, “Jayden is scheduled to push the button to implode the building at 8:00am on
Sunday August 5.”
Trade Me’s most viewed auctions
Rank Auction # Description Closed
1 58555525 Hurricanes Handbag & Cellphone 3-Jun-06
2 223309871 Scary washing machine. No really, its terrifying! 18-Jun-09
3 496979166 The Implosion 01-Aug-12
4 439094192 YOUR Tattoo on my Bum!! 20-Jan-12
5 218710429 Buy a Tractor and get a 20 acre farm for free... 24-May-09
6 357989041 Landscape Rocks for Sale in ChCh 7-Mar-11
7 285860934 Folden 2010 6-May-10
8 195642530 Jesus Christ Pita Bread 8-Jan-09
9 433861703 2 DAYS IN THE STUDIO AND ADVICE FROM NEIL FINN 9-Jan-12
10 312051399 MiG-21 MF 1973 Mikoyan-Gurevich Fighter Jet 3-Sep-10
11 274622678 FLYING HOVERCRAFT 13-Mar-10
For further information:
ENDS