The way forward for our cemeteries

So BCSC wants ‘out’ with the two cemeteries presently under its control! Well that has been so obvious over many years. 

Throughout his terms in office, Cr Les Larke has done his best to emphasise Council’s failure to seriously address cemetery neglect.  

Things seemed promising when Friends Groups were created and with Department of Health and Human Services funding for a Master Plan Wonthaggi, and then later San Remo. 

It is the $18,000 San Remo document that I am more familiar with and Council accepted this in December 2019. 

The consultants made 34 recommendations - some of which to me made sense but the recommendation to combine the two trusts yet still controlled by BCSC did not.  

End of story, as nothing seems to have been actioned! What a waste of funds!

A recommendation I could readily agree with involved the further development of the Friends Group. The researchers could see some of the achievements of volunteers. 

In 15 or so years a few committed locals had really improved the San Remo cemetery. 

People could see that the Anderson Street boundary was now vegetated, that there was now attractive signage, that there was a memorial garden which was being well maintained, that tree litter and rubbish across the whole site were regularly cleared and ultimately that the long-time huge pile of soil and rubble had ‘disappeared’ (incidentally at no cost to Council).

The BCSC website still espouses the value of cemetery volunteers, but to be this is a far cry from reality.  

No attempt was made to satisfy or recruit helpers. So many volunteers have now quit, prompted by feelings there were intolerable barriers created by bureaucracy and that the administration per se seem to show condescension towards them (doubting their levels of expertise and thwarting their initiatives – even when they were saving the trust much money).

With this indifference of BCSC, it comes as no surprise they want to off-load the two cemeteries – possibly to a large metropolitan Class A entity. 

One can hope that a new controlling body for both cemeteries will solve the many problems – financial, maintenance, continued improvement, public relations etc. 

Presumably, such a body will recognise the contributions volunteers can make. 

Maybe they could even welcome back those disenchanted former ‘Friends.’

The sequel to the Sentinel Times heading “Council to drop Wonthaggi dead’ (p16, 15 March) may well be “Cemeteries to come to life.” We certainly live in hope.

Russell Riseley, Newhaven