Council to gauge interest in mausoleum plan for St Ives cemetery
Ramsey Road cemetery - Credit: Archant
A mausoleum could be built in a St Ives cemetery but the town council will only go ahead with the project if there is enough support for it.
The idea for a mausoleum originally came from the town’s Italian community, who wanted somewhere to inter the remains of their loved ones, and now the council is at the point where it is looking for expressions of interest from the wider community to see if the project is viable.
It is considering building a mausoleum within the grounds of the Ramsey Road cemetery.
Town clerk Alison Benfield said: “The town council is proud of its current cemetery provision and is keen to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the whole of the community of St Ives by providing another service.
“At the current time it caters for Muslim burials, internment and scattering of ashes and traditional burials so the provision of a mausoleum will add another option to what is available in the town.”
Mrs Benfield said: “Although this suggestion was originally raised by the Italian community, if it goes ahead it will be open for anyone who wishes this form of burial.”
The council said that if the construction of a mausoleum went ahead it would increase the amount of interment space in St Ives, making the current provision for traditional burials last longer.
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If there is sufficient demand for a mausoleum, the council expects the cost will be self-funded from reservation fees paid in advance in the same way that burial spaces are pre-purchased.
The council wants to be able to judge whether there is sufficient demand to support the construction of a building.
At present the authority has gone out to tender for a contractor to design and build the facility.
It will then go before the council’s amenities committee in September for further consideration, with the next stage being the appointment of a contractor, should enough people express an interest in supporting the plan.
The council said that residents who live in the town who would be interested in this form of interment should contact Mrs Benfield as soon as possible because the authority needs to collect responses by the end of August.
Mrs Benfield can be contacted at St Ives Town Council, Market Hill, St Ives, 01480 388929, or clerk@stivestowncouncil.gov.uk.
