INNISFAIL - The town’s cemetery is getting a new columbarium.
The issue came up at town council’s regular meeting on April 24 through a report and presentation from Steven Kennedy, the Town of Innisfail’s director of operations.
Council was requested to approve a motion for administration to purchase a new columbarium at a price of $31,144 from Sunset Memorial & Stone Ltd. in Calgary, with the cost being funded from the town’s Cemetery Reserve.
Council approved the motion unanimously.
Kennedy told council there are only 25 niches left with the existing columbarium at the Innisfail Cemetery. Niches are the compartments within the columbarium that hold a person's cremated remains.
His report added there are only two spaces left for columbarium structures, with each having 64 niches.
Council was also told the Innisfail Cemetery has 42 cremation plots left with room for another 168.
Kennedy’s report added there are 60 full burial plots left at the Innisfail Cemetery with room for another 92.
“As space is becoming limited, we would like to proceed with the design on the first phase of the infill as proposed in a report provided to council in 2020,” said Kennedy in his report. “Once the design is completed we will include this on the list of capital projects for 2024 for council consideration.”
Council was then requested to approve a second motion for administration to proceed with the design of the first phase of the central section infill for the estimated cost of $15,000, which is to be funded from the General Capital Reserve.
Coun. Don Harrison noted that there was a past discussion about “dressing up” the entrance to the cemetery. He wanted to know if this was to be included in the cemetery’s future development.
Kennedy said administration will see “how the design goes”, and that there could be an opportunity to incorporate other elements, including the entrance gate, into the plan.
“OK, as long as we come back because every time I drive by the cemetery I look at that gate. We need to do something there,” said Harrison.
The second motion was passed unanimously by council.
