A city councillor is making sure the St. Albert cemetery isn’t forgotten and left to rot.
Following a request by Coun. Sheena Hughes, city administration provided council with an overview on April 23 of the work that’s been done and is planned to be done at the local cemetery. Hughes brought the matter up after a resident came forward with some concerns.
“For whatever reason, this has kind of fallen off the city’s radar,” she said. “This is talking about not just dollars and cents but also respect for people and the lives they led.”
The report highlighted a number of projects at the 6.5-acre cemetery, including taking out the existing gate and posts, which is expected to be wrapped up this month; improving the appearance and functionality of the entrance area by adding large seasonal planters on each side as part of the annual flower program; assessing signage to make sure it fits city standards; and tree trimming and bed enhancements around the interior entrance.
Other work that’s been completed included replacing the 10 benches in the cremation garden area as well as replacing the trash bins. The city is currently looking at bringing in water supply services to the site.
Hughes acknowledged all of the work that’s been done at the cemetery but said she continued to feel it has been overlooked.
“I understand that there’s a whole revenue-cost thing going on as one of the considerations,” she said. “But there’s also the consideration of all the people who have chosen to put their loved ones in this location. For example, the signage, I think, we need to make sure that it is appropriate. If there’s something missing, we make sure that we do fill in those gaps.”
David Leflar, director of the city’s legal and legislative services, said cemetery management looks at how to fit the most people in the cemetery as possible, whether that’s through interment or cremation. When compared to Edmonton’s 1,000-acre cemetery, he said St. Albert's cemetery has never been considered a revenue generator.
“It could be,” he added. “It’s my generation, the boomers, you really need to go after. Those are the ones that are getting close to needing such a facility. So you have to figure out how to best target them.”
He said the Cemetery Long Term Site Plan goes into a lot of strategic thinking but none of that has happened yet because it isn’t considered a high priority at this time.
Leflar added there are no immediate plans to bring in water services to the cemetery, which would allow for public washrooms to be brought in. He mentioned work is still in preliminary stages.
Mayor Cathy Heron praised both Hughes and the resident for bringing this forward to ensure the work was being done.
Cemetery fees for a traditional burial for one come to a total of $3,853.50, which includes $1,680 for a plot, $472.50 for marker (headstone) installation and other services. A burial for two costs a total of $5,313, while a field of honour burial for one is $3,013.50 and $4,473 for two.
Urn burials can range from $1,753.50 to $2,031.91, while ash scattering costs $325.50.
A full breakdown of fees can be found on the city’s website.
