Community Board to consider cemetery expansion

The Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board will this month consider removing a house from Bromley Cemetery to make way for a new children’s cemetery and extra burial plots.

“A memorial to stillborn babies is located at Bromley Cemetery and it is suggested that we use some of this 2000m² area to develop a new children’s section,” Christchurch City Council business relations team manager, Mark Rykers says.

“It has been proposed that the design for the children’s area accommodate the decoration and planting that many parents wish to have on their children’s graves,” he says.

The house that is being considered for removal from the cemetery was home to a resident caretaker until the mid-1980s. Since then it has been used for short-term rental accommodation.

“It is no longer required for its original purpose and a report adopted by Christchurch City Council in September 2000 on Cemetery Enhancements, proposed the removal of the house and re-use of the site for burial purposes,” Mr Rykers says.

“With space at a number of cemeteries in the city being filled, this is an opportunity to provide some additional burial and ashes plots.”

The proposal will go to the Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board on 7 July and on to the Parks, Gardens and Waterways Committee on 14 July for a recommendation to the full Council.