Tributes - Lawn Plaque and Limited Monumental Cemeteries
From Monday 8 July 2024, the Carr Villa Memorial Park team will commence a process to support the community in removing tributes from our Lawn Plaque and Limited Monumental Cemeteries which are causing immediate safety risk to the community, employees, wildlife, and pets.
Why is there a need to remove tributes?
Over a number of years, a lenient approach had been taken to enforcing the City of Launceston Cemeteries and Crematorium Policy, in relation to the management of tributes onsite. This is due to the emotional sensitivities involved and the potential impact on families.
However, this approach has led to notable increases in the number of tributes, which now pose a significant safety risk to both the community, staff responsible for maintaining these areas, as well as wildlife.
The main concerns encountered are:
- Tributes that are blown over in high winds and consequently break and create physical sharp hazards for visitors, employees, wildlife and pets.
- Tributes that extend outside the concrete beam strip, and onto the lawn.
Whilst breakable items create physical hazards, both directly interfere with our lawn maintenance tasks, particularly mowing, posing significant challenges/risks for our team members. Moreover, those tributes encroaching upon other burial locations, further complicate the situation.
What areas of the Cemetery will be affected?
The Lawn Plaque Cemetery and Limited Monumental Cemetery are the locations impacted, due to nature of their design.
Both are situated within lawn area, with either a standardised bronze plaque or headstone on concrete beams marking the interments. Each burial location is provided with a built-in floral vase to allow for a floral tribute (Lawn Plaque) or the headstones incorporate 1-2 floral vases.
What will need to be removed?
To reduce the stress and impact on families, and to minimise distress, we will be adopting the following measured approach by removing the immediate safety risk to the community, employees, and wildlife by enforcing only the following at this time:
- Glass products, including jars, vases, and bottles, which can easily be broken; and
- Any tributes that are encroaching onto the lawn, and the concrete beam strip edging the lawn, which will include ceramics, and solar lights.
As well as the above, it is important we support all family members within the facility, by ensuring all tributes are contained to each individual site.
Will I have a chance to collect any items prior to them being removed by staff?
From the 8 July, families will have 3 weeks' notice to attend the site of their loved one, to remove items identified. Our team will move through the site from the 29 July 2024, over a 2-week period to remove items identified in the approach. The Carr Villa Team will also be onsite Saturday 27 July 2024, between 10:00am - 2:00pm, to provide further assistance.
What if staff remove an item that I wish to keep?
Our team will store items until the 23 August 2024, where any unclaimed items will be disposed of.
Why not enforce the full policy?
While we acknowledge that this approach may not fully align with policy regulations, it aims to minimise distress and impact on families, which would be greater under a more rigid enforcement strategy. Additionally, it addresses immediate safety concerns for the community and staff responsible for site maintenance.
Furthermore, this approach allows time for a review of tribute management within the policy framework, enabling consideration of the community's needs and preferences regarding memorialisation. A consultation process, which will inform the development of a site Masterplan, offers an opportunity to gather insights and understand families' preferences for memorialisation. This approach will enable us to develop strategies that align more closely with our organisational values.