Arnprior council hears options for cemetery revenue

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Derek Dunn

EMC News - How to pay for cemeteries when plot sales end was discussed during Arnprior's budget meeting on Jan. 30.

Public works director Janet Collins said the issue isn't a pressing one, but that much of the revenue to pay for maintenance costs comes from the sale of burial sites.

The town's cemeteries remain self-sustaining, with a reserve fund set in place during some years.

The Albert Street Cemetery is nearly full, she said, leaving just the Malloch Road Cemetery with much room for future burials.

The town pays $72,000 in labour, equipment rental, and other costs to care for the two sites.

Part of Collins' job is to explain all options to raise revenue in any given department.

Council might consider opening a third cemetery, she said, suggesting the best location seems one overlooking the landfill on River Road.

However, municipalities are not obliged to open new cemeteries, just care for any abandoned in their jurisdiction.

Malloch cemetery has numerous large trees that could be cut down to make room for more plots, but chopping down trees is expensive.

Another option, suggested by Coun. Lynn Grinstead, is to sell plots in stacks - to have loved ones buried one over the other instead of side by side. Collins said that could work, but not if they are next to occupied sites.

"They tend to collapse," she said.

The trend is toward cremation, which also saves room since ashes only need to be buried in a smaller space about 18 inches (46 centimetres) deep.

However, the least palatable option to council is to "take back" graves that are a 100 years old or more, she said.

Sometimes a family long ago would bury a child, for instance, and close relatives have also passed on - resulting in few living connections.

"I wouldn't want to go down that road," said Reeve Walter Stack.