Shellharbour City Council is welcoming submissions from the community on its Draft Cemetery Masterplans until 9 December 2020.
Council endorsed the Draft Shellharbour and Albion Park Cemetery Masterplans last month. They went on public exhibition on 11 November.
Council developed the draft masterplans to enhance the operation and services of the cemeteries, identifying and prioritising short and long-term needs.
The draft masterplans include a staged implementation plan to guide future actions for development, operation and services over the next 20 years.
Council adopted its Cemetery Operations Policy in 2018. The policy aims to improve the amenity and efficiency of the city's cemeteries, detailing cemetery standards and practices to facilitate improved service standards.
Shellharbour City Mayor Marianne Saliba said that Council staff had been working with stakeholders and families to implement these improvements.
"The draft masterplans aim to balance the needs of the different members of the community and enhance the opportunities of both sites," Cr Saliba said.
"I encourage people to view the draft masterplans on Council's Let's Chat page and make a formal submission. We place great value on community feedback so we want to hear your views," she said.
Key inclusions of the Draft Shellharbour and Albion Park Cemetery Masterplans include:
Shellharbour Cemetery
- Designed as a park, capitalising on views, meandering walking paths, respite areas, toilet and shelter facilities and wider choice of interments.
- Inclusion of disability access, new gardens and niche walls, sculptures and future crypts.
- New ground for burials, creation of a children's section.
- Additional parking and an open shelter.
Albion Park Cemetery
- Designed as a park, meandering walking paths, respite areas, toilet, large open shelter.
- Wider choice of interments and provides location for possible natural burials and children's section.
- Updated layout of grave grid based on interment style rather than denomination.
- Proposed heritage walk to further identify the John Fraser Monument as a focal point.
- Updated entry with signage, flanking garden beds and formalised parking.
- Improved access from the bus stop with upgrades to existing path along Croome Road.
To see the plans visit Let's Chat.
