Introduction
Plots at the Cemetery are sold through the Caretaker, who will meet with the purchaser at the Cemetery to choose a location. Contact either of the phone numbers listed under contacts on the website. www.heatherdowncemetery.ca
The Heatherdown United Church Cemetery will hereafter be called the "Cemetery."
Plots
- Plans for burial purposes, including a record of any interment or disinterment will be kept on file at www.heatherdowncemetery.ca. Copies of all such plans shall be available for inspection free of charge at the Cemetery office during regular office hours.
- No person shall make a reservation for one or more plots without making payment in full at the time of the reservation.
- Upon payment of the full price of any plot, the Cemetery shall provide a receipt for the said sum, and provide a Cemetery Plot Sale Contract for such plot to such person or to that person’s personal representative, as such person may appoint.
- Plots shall not be resold; however, plots may be transferred from one family member to another family member. No transfer shall be valid unless it is duly registered with the Cemetery.
- When a plot is held by 2 or more persons, an order for interment in such a plot or any part thereof will be accepted by the Cemetery from any one of the said persons or their personal representatives.
- No person shall accept any fee or reward for interment of any body in a plot of which such person is the owner, or over which that person exercises any power of control.
- Plots shall not be used for any purpose other than burial grounds for human remains.
- All burials are to be made within the confines of a single plot. There shall not be more than two full body burials in a single plot. Cremains to a total of six, may be buried in any occupied plot when the person in charge of the cremains has received permission from the family/estate of the registered purchaser for such burial in that plot and authorized by the Cemetery Caretaker.
Interments and Disinterments
- Any interment or disinterment in the Cemetery shall be under the control of the Cemetery Caretaker.
- No grave for the burial of cremated remains shall be less than 24” in depth from the surface of the ground.
- Between May 1, and October 31, in any year, all application for burials shall be made to the Caretaker at least 48 hours before the time of interment. Between November 1 and April 30, all applications for burials shall be made at least 72 hours before the time of interment.
- No interment shall be permitted in the Cemetery unless and until there has been produced to the Cemetery Caretaker a burial permit issued by the proper office of the Government of the Province of Alberta.
- Disinterment of a body shall not take place until a permit for disinterment is issued by the Provincial Director of Vital Statistics and delivered to the Cemetery Caretaker.
- The person requesting a disinterment shall give complete and precise instructions regarding the location of the grave. Neither the Cemetery nor the Caretaker shall be responsible for any errors resulting from the lack of proper instruction.
- Every owner of a plot in the Cemetery, or the owner’s personal representative shall be held responsible for the cost of the plot and for all charges in connection therewith, including disinterment or removal of a body when applicable. Any person signing an order for interment will be held responsible for all charges in connection with such interment. Such person shall, in addition, be held responsible for compliance with the regulations governing erection of monuments applicable to that part of the Cemetery in which the interment is made.
- Copies of burial certificates and purchase contracts for reserved plots shall be kept by the Cemetery Caretaker and www.heatherdowncemetery.ca.
Fees
- The Cemetery hereby agrees to provide to the purchaser a plot for the fee of $500.00 for residents within a six-mile radius of the Heatherdown Cemetery, members of the Onoway Pastoral Charge, or descendants of current interned individuals, if a concrete/steel vault is used. Otherwise if no vault is used an additional maintenance fee of $200.00 will be added to maintain the gravesite. Any applications in question may require a ruling by the board.
- A fee of $1,500.00 will be charged for persons not included in the above category as well as the additional fee of $200.00 if no vault is used. An applicant beyond this six-mile radius may be considered for the lower rate by three directors of the board.
- Upon interment a $300.00 refundable deposit will be taken to cover the cost of a marker. Once the marker is installed within the ONE-year time period, the deposit will be refunded.
- The initial fee is for the cost of plot and the first interment. Each interment thereafter will be charged an administration fee which is $150.00.
- The cost of opening and closing the plot and a Caretaker’s fee as per the Heatherdown United Church Cemetery Policy will be the responsibility of the purchaser or their agent at the time of burial.
- The purchaser/agent will pay Cemetery Caretaker as per the schedule of Fees and Charges per the current fee schedule.
Markers
- The purchaser agrees to place a permanent grave marker on the plot within ONE year of the date of the first burial in the plot. The size shall be no less than 16” x 10” and no larger than 40” wide x 30” high x 14” deep for a single marker, and no larger than 50” wide and 30” high x 14” deep for a double marker.
- Markers made from permanently lasting materials will be allowed for use. Specifically, no monument or part thereof will be approved which is made from wood, glass or ceramic material. Each plot will be allowed ONE standing marker, each additional marker is to be a flat marker and made from material as stated above and of no less size than 16” x 10”.
- Markers will be placed in the Cemetery at the owner’s or family’s risk and the Cemetery accepts no responsibility for damage or theft resulting from vandalism.
- Monuments must be in line with other monuments in that section of the Cemetery. The Cemetery accepts no responsibility for the maintenance of markers and monuments due to normal wear (minor scraping of monuments/markers due to turf mowing is considered normal wear) and or deterioration.
- All persons employed in the construction and erection of monuments or doing other work in the Cemetery shall be subject to the direction and control of the Cemetery Caretaker. No work shall proceed until it is authorized by the Cemetery Caretaker.
- No inscription shall be placed on any monument or marker which, in the opinion of the Caretaker and/or trustees, is not in keeping with the dignity and the decorum of the Cemetery.
- Inscriptions on monuments must be of sufficient depth and quality so as to be legible and durable. Metal plaques which oxidize or deteriorate are not permitted.
- It is the responsibility of the family/estate of the grave owner to maintain markers etc. on the grave site.
- When, in the opinion of the Cemetery Caretaker, any monument is in a state of disrepair, he shall notify the owner in writing thereof and require that repairs be promptly undertaken. Any monument or structure not repaired within 30 days after a letter has been sent to the owner or his personal representative, to the last known address provided to the Cemetery, may be removed and retained in the custody of the Cemetery Caretaker for a period of 30 days to allow the person responsible for its maintenance to claim the monument and return it to an acceptable condition.
- Grave covers are not permitted in the Cemetery.
General
- The Cemetery reserves the right to remove and dispose of any monument, flat marker, memorial structure or fixture that is in disrepair and/or has become unsightly.
- The Caretaker may temporarily move any monument when necessary to gain access to another plot provided the monument is reinstalled in a like and timely manner.
- Planting of flowers, trees, or shrubs by individuals will not be permitted.
- Trees, shrubs, or other plants donated to the Cemetery (as memorial or otherwise) will be accepted, but must be coordinated for plant species and location at the discretion of the Caretaker.
- Artificial flowers/wreaths may remain on the grave site from October 1 to May 1 of the following year.
- The Cemetery reserves the right to plant all perennial flowers, shrubs and trees and to landscape or to carry out any improvements to the grounds.
- The Cemetery reserves the right to remove any articles, flowers, memorial structures, monuments or other fixtures which in the opinion of the Caretaker or Trustees are unsightly, in disrepair or encroach onto adjacent burial plots.
- The Cemetery Caretaker shall have the sole control of all matters within the Cemetery that are concerned with maintaining the grounds in a neat and pleasing condition and to that end is hereby authorized to regulate and control the Cemetery grounds.
- The Cemetery Caretaker is hereby authorized to remove, or have removed, any weeds, grass, funeral designs or floral pieces which may become wilted, or any other article or thing which, in the opinion of the Cemetery Caretaker, is unsightly.