High River residents can now purchase spaces for urns, called niches in the High River Cemetery directly through the Town.

High River Council unanimously passed a motion to grant it the authority to operate a newly constructed urn receptacle, known as a columbarium, during their meeting on Monday, January 22.

Council approved the new structure in it’s 2017 Capital Budget as the old one, which was privately owned and operated, was nearing capacity.

Prior to the amendment, those looking to put remains into the columbarium could only purchase niches through funeral homes.

Even though the cemetery was, and still is, under Town management, residents were required to access the service through local funeral parlors.

The Town will operate the spaces in the same manner as burial plots and a rate bylaw meeting is scheduled in the future to determine prices.

While this was only a minor amendment, the Town indicates that a full-rewrite of the 1984 Cemetery Bylaw is scheduled for later this year.

According to government documents, Council’s goal is to bring the Town in line with current best practices and operations.

 

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