By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
The Town of Osoyoos got a preview of what upgrades to the Lakeview Cemetery could look like, through a recent presentation to the Committee of the Whole (CoW).
A Concept Plan was unveiled at the April 14 CoW meeting of Council, presented by Landscape Designer Tess Jakubec and Project Manager Leila Zeppelin, of the cemetery planning firm Lees & Associates.
Alongside the Concept Plan, Jakubec and Zeppelin detailed other aspects of Lakeview Cemetery, such as helping the Town achieve its financial objectives with the cemetery.
Space at the Lakeview Cemetery is expected to be in higher demand in the coming years, as the population of Osoyoos grows, and the existing population grows older. Over the next 25 years, there are a projected 9,900 deaths, furthering the need for spaces as well as cremation services.
The 25-year figure is significant, beyond being a round number to measure growth and demand by. The Lakeview Cemetery, as explained by Jakubec, has about 25 to 30 years of salable casket lots remaining. More concerning is that, with the rise in cremation over burial, cremation lots are expected to sell out in the next three to four years.
Columbaria niches were also at risk of entirely running out, with just one to two years of inventory remaining prior to Council’s approval of construction of more columbaria niches.
Overall, Lakeview Cemetery would need between 240 and 250 more cremation lots, along with an additional 120 to 130 columbaria niches, to be constructed over the next 25 years to meet demand.
The proposed Concept Plan was designed with these realities in mind, alongside other considerations. Currently, with the Perpetual Care Fund, the cemetery revenue is sufficiently covering costs for maintenance performed by the Town.
The plan would see the PCF grow over time to cover every maintenance cost, both for the Town’s responsibilities and private citizens’ responsibilities, by putting in place price changes, and requiring a minimum of $5,000 extra be added to the PCF over the next 20 years to meet that goal.
Changes to the Cemetery itself would include the installation of a scattering area, as well as a memorial wall, and a “green burial” area, to provide alternate options for interring a deceased individual. Currently, the Cemetery does not offer these options.
Additionally, the plan would see the development of a revamped central entrance, which would provide better wayfinding and transition from being outside the cemetery to inside. Alongside that, a new small sheltered space would be developed within the Cemetery, and perimeter fencing and foliage would be redone. Existing trees would be replaced within the Cemetery, with newer ones.
The plan would also see a new succession management plan put into place for older areas of the cemetery, where concrete is beginning to deteriorate. This would be the option chosen since the Town of Osoyoos does not bear responsibility for cover, tombstone, or vault upkeep.
Councillor Jim King sought clarification on whether double-stacking caskets, especially of members of the same family, are allowed currently.
“Yes, you do have a section that’s allocated to double depth,” Zeppelin confirmed. “And certainly, when cemetery space becomes scarce in other environments, double depth becomes the only option.”
“So is it possible to expand that area in the future?” King asked.
“For sure, yes,” Zeppelin said.
Mayor Sue McKortoff lamented the state of the concrete in older areas of the cemetery, saying better upkeep is certainly necessary.
“I remember being out there two years ago, and being horrified at the state of some of the (cement), and I definitely thought it was a hazard area,” McKortoff said. “It’s a bit of a concern because some of them are falling in, and they’re quite broken. Plus, some of them you can’t even read the names on them because they’re that old, they’ve been worn off.”
McKortoff, on behalf of Council, expressed admiration for the job done by Jakubec and Zeppelin with the report.
“We appreciate all the work that you’ve put into this, and we’ll certainly be looking further at this.”
The Cemetery Master Plan will be discussed further at a future meeting of the Osoyoos Council.
