Visiting Leamington Cemetery to remember loved ones is about to be made easier and more accessible with construction of a new carpark starting Tuesday, April 22.
The new carpark will have 30 spaces including four designated accessible parks and will be located next to the existing cemetery on Wordsworth Street, near the new toilet.
The cemetery will remain open throughout the construction period, and contractors will coordinate with funeral directors to ensure they cease works or minimise noise during any funeral services.
Community Services manager Brad Ward said it was important for cemeteries to be accessible to all members of the community. “We want to reduce any physical barriers that might prevent people from visiting to farewell and remember their loved ones.”
The need for a properly formed carpark at the cemetery was identified and consulted on through the Council’s Cemetery Concept Plan, which was adopted in June 2023.
It was developed for Waipā’s 10 public cemeteries to respond to growth pressures and changing adjoining land uses. The concept plans will guide Council’s development of its cemeteries for at least the next 20 years, and include a future proposal for footpaths to connect through to the carpark, which will further improve accessibility.
“In the past, we've experienced issues with vehicles driving onto the cemetery grounds to get closer to the graves and sometimes even driving over graves,” Ward said. “The newly created carpark will clearly indicate where visitors should park.”
The $300,000 project is expected to take eight weeks to complete and will be undertaken by local Cambridge company, Civil Construction Services.
Ward said this is one of several upgrades planned for cemeteries in the district. “We’re also planning to install automatic gates at both Leamington and Hautapu Cemeteries. These gates will restrict vehicle access at night, which we hope will help reduce vandalism and graffiti.”
