The Manitoba Home Builders' Association is celebrating 75 years.
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/333362
JUNE 2014 • PAGE 3 a r r a n g e m e n t s caring,compassionand kindness. ince1957,Cropohasgenerouslysupported 95 ro n ourcommunitywithacommitmentof mun c •Winnipeg'sLargestChapel •BeautifulReceptionRooms •Pre-PlanningArrangements •Staffavailable24hoursaday •TraditionalEarthBurial •FuneralsforAllFaiths •CremationServices •WorldwideTransferService Phone(204)586-8044 ortollfree1888586-8044 1442MainStreet|Winnipeg,Manitoba|Cropo.com 420AirportDrive|St.Andrews,Manitoba FamilyOwned Caringaboveall. the NAtUrAl beauty of crEmAtiON gardens By Kathryne Cardwell For the Free Press s cattering the ashes of a loved in one of their favourite spots can seem like a romantic gesture to some people. But for others, the act of strewing ashes can feel cold or even traumatic. Cremation gardens established in designated cemeteries allow you to commit the ashes of your loved one back to the earth in a natural, safe and heartfelt way. Beautiful, serene and welcoming, this type of resting ground is growing in popularity. City of Winnipeg cemeteries administrator Jane Saxby says cremation gardens at the city's three municipal cemeteries appeal to many people, for a variety of reasons. The grounds have practical benefits — they are environmentally friendly, use space more efficiently than traditional burial plots, and can be comparably or less expensively priced than traditional casket burials. And they're also beautiful spaces, imbued with an aura of peace. Designed in the style of an old English garden, paths lined with long flowing grasses, shrubs, trees, benches and flowers wind through the grounds. Regular maintenance and snow clearing keeps the grounds open year round, and wide paths accommodate wheelchairs as well, allowing everyone to enjoy the gardens. "People absolutely love them," says Saxby, explaining that many people want a resting place where their family and friends can sit comfortably and reminisce about them as opposed to a traditional burial plot and headstone. The city's first cremation garden was established four years ago at St. Vital Cemetery at 236 River Rd. It was so popular that last year the city installed cremation lawns in Brookside Cemetery at 3001 Notre Dame Ave., and at Transcona Cemetery at the corner of Dugald Road and the east Perimeter Highway. The gardens offer many different interment and memorialization options. Many people choose to be settled in scattering beds — open plots of ground where ashes can be drifted over the soil. This is a gentle, natural way of returning the body to the earth. There is also the option of burying ashes in a specific site, rather than scattering them. Individuals can choose single niches or niches which can be customized to fit up to eight people. Others choose biodegradable urns which decompose within six months, gently returning the ashes to the earth while keeping the cremated remains in one place. Families also have several options for memorializing the resting place of their loved ones. They can place a tree, shrub, bench or natural memory stone in the grounds as a tribute to the deceased. In some cases, families might also include a bronze marker which can be customized with designs, colour, special text and even photos in honour of the deceased. Memorials can be added to the garden at any time following interment. Saxby says new interment and memorial options will be added as they become available. "Cemeteries are changing along with all of us," she says. "They are there for the safe interment of our loved ones, and they are the living history of all of us." For more information about City of Winnipeg cemeteries, visit www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/cemeteries. stm or call 204-986-4348. Many people want a resting place where their family and friends can sit comfortably and reminisce about them. City of Winnipeg cemeteries now have lovely cremation gardens. Photo by Darcy Finley