Refurbishment plans to force crem closure
Shock as work will take up to six months to complete
Families face having to make alternative arrangements for funeral services when Perth Crematorium is closed to the public for six months next year.
Perth and Kinross Council wants to press ahead with a planned £2.2million refurbishment of the crematorium starting in June next year to coincide with multimillion pound works to create a section of the new Bertha Park link road on the boundary of the crematorium’s grounds.
The upgrade, which will include changes to the internal structure of the building and the layout of rooms to make it easier for mourners to access and exit the crematorium before and after funeral services, will mean the chapel will have to be closed for up to six months.
Council bosses consulted funeral directors on the timing of the planned works last week and insisted the actual cremators would only be out of action for four to six weeks sometime during these six months. New mercury abatement technology needs to be fitted to meet regulations.
But James Carcary, of James Carcary Funeral Directors, told the PA that PKC has still to explain where it thinks families who want to hold services as well as cremations in Perth between June and December 2017 should go.
Currently around 1150 Perth Crematorium is to shut for six months next year
cremations are undertaken at Perth Crematorium every year, according to council figures, and the nearest alternative facilities where both services and cremations can be held are at Dundee, Dunfermline and Falkirk.
“The sad thing is at this minute in time there’s no other provision put in place as to what we are supposed to do during this six month period of shutdown,” said Mr Carcary.
“There will be a period when we can still have cremations but from
September 2017 there’s going to be a period of between four and six weeks when we will have no cremations taking place in Perth whatsoever.
“It’s obviously going to be an inconvenience not only for ourselves but also for the families who want to use Perth Crematorium.”
He went on: “When this was talked about a year or so ago the council’s attitude was that it wasn’t their problem and that it was our problem [where alternative services and cremations should be held].
“That attitude has changed because the works are now not far away. So I think we are having another meeting early next year [when] they will have to come up with something to help us and the families who will require the service of a cremation.”
Asked if people in Perth might simply choose to hold services and cremations at other crematoria Mr Carcary continued: “Dundee Crematorium is the nearest other crematorium. I’d asked [at Wednesday’s meeting] if there was any provision being put in place to extend the opening hours at Dundee and nobody could answer that question.
“Most funerals in Dundee are held at Dundee Crematorium. So, if it’s a busy week at Dundee Crematorium, how are they going to be able to fit in even more?
“People might have to go even further afield. They might have to go to Park Grove [in Angus], they might have to go to Kirkcaldy, they might have to go to Dunfermline. That will take a lot of time out of our days. And there will be the additional expense to families.”
Councillor Alan Grant, the convener of the council’s environment committee, commented: “The improvements to the interior layout of the crematorium building are based on the feedback which has been received from funeral directors and attendees.
“These changes will help provide a more comforting environment for bereaved relatives and friends.
“Unfortunately it is just not feasible to carry out the work while maintaining access to the crematorium chapel. Every effort will be made to minimise the length of time the work takes, and to ensure cremations can continue during much of the work, which will allow the option for funeral services to continue to take place locally.
“Crematorium staff have already begun to engage with local funeral directors to ensure that they are aware of the proposals, and to explain how access to the crematorium building will be maintained for them throughout the neighbouring road works.
“The council is committed to continue working together with them and other partners to ensure that these changes are made in a sensitive way, and to ensure we can continue to offer a fit for purpose crematorium for Perth and Kinross into the future.”
Councillor John Kellas, the convener of the council’s enterprise and infrastructure committee, added: “The two projects will bring significant benefits for road users, and businesses, and will improve access to the crematorium for services, while maintaining the overflow parking facilities which are important for attendees at larger funerals.
“It is good to see that the contractors and project teams involved are co-ordinating planning at an early stage to reduce the impact while the construction work is being carried out.”
People might have to go ever further afield...to Angus...to Kirkcaldy... to Dunfermline