The demand for places to live in Coquitlam is growing.
So is the demand for places to die as the city’s municipal cemetery is running out of room.
Robinson Memorial Park Cemetery, which has been operating in southwest Coquitlam since 1935 on land donated by the Robinson family, has limited remaining interment inventory. The city is looking at ways to continue providing its services and has begun a survey to get citizens' opinions.
According to report by staff and consultants Urban Systems delivered to council Monday, the cemetery has a limited footprint to accommodate the city’s projected population growth and aging demographic. By optimizing the use of the space, however, the report projected the cemetery could provide space for the next 20 to 30 years.
Robinson inventory for full burials is expected to evaporate in three to four years, although it provides a mix of options for cremated remains.
Between 2007 and 2016, Robinson averaged 48 burials and 118 cremation interments a year.
“The city of Coquitlam is expected to have the need for nearly 10,400 interments in the next 25 years and over 31,300 in the next 50 years,” said the report.
The report considered providing green burials — returning a body as naturally as possible to the earth using non-toxic, biodegradable material — in addition to building a mausoleum for full-burial interments, and reusing graves for occupied plots. Green burial, said the report, has emerged as a significant trend while the projected demand for a mausoleum wasn’t significant enough to be included in the report.
“The number of full burials projected to be needed seems to be high,” said Coun. Chris Wilson. “The trend is more toward cremation.
“Would we consider making the full burials less desirable, an incentive to go to green burial, by charging more in less desirable areas just to manage the supply.”
In response, the city’s parks general manager, Raul Allueva, said considering Coquitlam’s growing population, he is confident in the consultant’s figures.
Coun. Brent Asmundson was upset with the report’s dismissal of a mausoleum as an option.
“It’s unfortunate. It’s taking away space when you have the opportunity,” said Asmundson. “A mausoleum should be something we’re seriously looking at it.”
Lanny Englund, the city’s manager of park planning and forestry, said the feedback staff and the consultants received indicated it was not a popular option. It will, however, be included as part of the public survey.
Coun. Terry O’Neill said the cost and aesthetic of a mausoleum doesn’t fit what’s currently at the cemetery.
The report noted the province is considering turning over the Riverview cemetery to the city and that could provide enough capacity until 2060. But council balked at that possibility.
Coun. Bonita Zarrillo said it would be another downloading of services but Allueva noted although unlikely to happen, any changeover would have to come with substantial operating funds “so the city doesn’t get saddled with costs that accrue to the property."
"At this point, we’re focusing on Robinson," he said. "We don’t know what the province's position is or if they’re amenable.”
Allueva said the city is not under any obligation to provide the services but said if municipalities don’t provide it, then private facilities will step in at a higher cost.
That is a larger question, said Zarrillo, noting: “Hypothetically, if no city decided to expand or zone, how does B.C. as a province and Canada as a country plan to deal with death as a society."
The public survey, which includes questions on services, pricing and land use, is available at coquitlam.ca/cemetery plan.
