Final Arrangements

PAGE 2 • JUNE 2013 Final Arrangements O ne of the most important decisions to make when planning a funeral — for a loved one or for yourself — is selecting a final resting place. You may assume that most cemeteries with room for new burials are located outside the Perimeter Highway. However, the City of Winnipeg owns and operates three cemeteries located at key points of the city: Transcona Cemetery at the intersection of Dugald Road and the Perimeter Highway, St. Vital Cemetery on River Road and Brookside Cemetery on Notre Dame Avenue. "All three are well- established, mature cemeteries," says Jane Saxby, administrator of City of Winnipeg Cemeteries. Opened in 1878, Brookside Cemetery was Winnipeg's first municipal burial ground. Previously, the only cemeteries within the city were run by churches, and the city recognized a need for a resting place for both citizens who were not members of a church and for those who died without the means to pay for a proper burial. Transcona Cemetery, opened in 1914, and St. Vital Cemetery, created in 1937, became municipal cemeteries following amalgamation in 1972. More than 22,000 people have been interred at the three cemeteries. Along with beautifully laid-out grounds and meticulous landscaping, the city cemeteries offer a wealth of services to meet your needs — something Saxby describes as "community giving back to community." It's all about making sure Winnipeggers have first-choice options for burying their loved ones. "There are so many things at the city cemeteries now that we didn't offer before," Saxby says. Along with standard services such as interment of traditional and cremated remains, with niches and family estates at specific locations, the city offers special features such as the cremation garden at St. Vital Cemetery, where ashes can be scattered rather than interred in an urn. Another particularly lovely option allows families to purchase memorial plaques, benches, trees, plants or shrubs to mark graves instead of traditional headstones. Recently, the city has been looking into environmentally friendly burial options. At the moment, the greenest option is selecting a flat marker, which takes up the least amount of space. But you may also consider a wicker casket or a shroud, which will break down into the earth more quickly than a traditional casket. Among the most significant features of the Brookside and Transcona Cemeteries are the Fields of Honour — sections reserved for those who have served in the military. In fact, Brookside Cemetery's Field of Honour is the largest and one of the oldest in Canada. Since 1915, more 12,000 servicemen and women have been interred there. Saxby is particularly proud of Brookside's Field of Honour, which is one of the country's most well-designed military cemeteries. "Every section is linked and they all flow together," she says. Staff will help connect you with funeral homes, funeral directors and companies which provide memorial markers. They offer pre-planning and payment services so you can have peace of mind knowing that your arrangements are already made. One Winnipegger who is familiar with the services is Les Slingsby, whose wife Kathleen is buried at Brookside Cemetery. Slingsby has nothing but praise for the care his family has received from city staff. "They were very courteous and they went out of their way to make us feel good," he says. Slingsby has pre-planned his own funeral arrangements and will be buried at Brookside along with his wife and many other family members. "Brookside is well maintained and it's been there for over 100 years," he says. "My wife, my parents and my wife's relatives are buried there, going back a couple of generations." Care & Commitment Our historic city cemeteries Photo: Darcy Finley City cemeteries exist to serve the community. By Kathryne Cardwell For the Free Press "They were very courteous and they went out of their way to make us feel good." For more information, call 204-986-4348 or see www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/cemeteries.stm. VISIT US ONLINE: www.livingwaterswpg.ca HonouringLifeinthe Tradition. CATHOLIC LIVING WATERS C O L U M B A R I U M 204-475-7577

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