A new management plan for Mākara, Karori and Tawa
cemeteries has been approved, following a unanimous vote by
Wellington City Councillors today.
Mākara Cemetery
and Karori Cemetery are both at critical points in terms of
capacity, and Mayor Andy Foster says the plan will set the
direction for how they are managed over the next 10 years
and beyond.
“The management plan follows an
extensive assessment of the city’s functional and
operational needs, with the aim of understanding changing
community needs and expectations, as well as providing for a
diverse range of views and beliefs.
“We engaged with
a wide range of cemetery users through an informal
pre-consultation, which was followed by a formal
consultation on a draft plan towards the end of last
year.”
Chair of the Pūroro Rangaranga | Social,
Cultural and Economic Committee, Councillor Jill Day, says
feedback received during the process was used to shape the
final plan.
“We’d like to thank everyone who took
the time to make a submission. The updated plan marks a new
era for Wellington city’s cemeteries, and will ensure we
can be sustainable where possible, and continue to meet the
needs of our growing city, now and in the
future.”
The Cemeteries Management Plan addresses a
wide range of issues, including:
- Providing for
future demand by acquiring more land and doing the master
planning for its development. - Providing as much
choice as possible for people’s diverse beliefs and wishes
around burial and cremation. - Streamlining the
bookings and online information through a new Cemeteries
Management System. - Encouraging people to visit and
enjoy our cemeteries for appropriate forms of recreation,
and respecting the cemeteries as special places of peace and
respite. - Recognising the important cultural,
historic and natural heritage in our cemeteries and planning
how we will look after it. - Encouraging and
supporting community groups to work in partnership with us
to care for and promote the heritage in our
cemeteries. - Assisting people interested in family
history by improving access to online cemetery records and
maps. - Developing master plans to guide future
cemetery development, landscape management and visitor
wayfinding. - Integrating sustainable management with
cemetery operations where possible, for example through
natural burials.
The final plan will be
published in mid-July.
Find out more at: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/cemeteries