Bellingham erects a third columbarium
Dedication ceremony May 21
BELLINGHAM – The town has erected a third columbarium for cremated remains at Scott Cemetery on Center Street.
The columbarium will allow residents to purchase niches in an aboveground structure for cremated remains of loved ones.
A dedication ceremony for the new structure will be held Sunday, May 21 at noon. The public is invited to attend.
With the latest columbarium, no longer will survivors have only the option of buying an in-ground plot and headstone for the remains, says the Bellingham Cemetery Committee and Sextons.
The newest granite-faced columbarium has 64 individual niches for a total of 162 niches between the three structures.
Benches have been installed near the columbariums with landscaping and flag poles placed behind the columbarium aprons.
“The committee feels it has achieved its goal of providing a peaceful setting and reasonable prices for an above ground interment option for cremated remains of residents and those individuals with strong connections to the town of Bellingham,” said Cemetery Committee Chairman Francis Cartier.
The committee says its long-range plans include construction of a fourth columbarium on a date yet to be determined.
Established in 1700, Scott Cemetery was previously known as South Bellingham Cemetery. The cemetery is owned by the town of Bellingham.
The cemetery’s first columbarium was dedicated on May 9, 2008. That columbarium has 49 individual niches in the granite faced structure.
It was constructed using funds transferred from various cemetery accounts at the October 2007 town meeting.
Columbarium niches cost $400 and up to two urns can be interred in each niche. An added fee of $250 covers the cost of all engraving, which is typically done by the town’s contractor to ensure a consistent appearance.
Individuals interested in purchasing columbarium niches or gravesites at Scott Cemetery or donating funds towards future projects can contact the Department of Public Works at (508) 9665812.