Bridport cemetery to re-open

•   Part of the Bridport cemetery to re-open for general burials.

By Tony Scott,
July 21, 2021

The Bridport cemetery is to re-open for general burials for the first time in 29 years.

Water logging of gravesites forced its closure in September 1992 for all but burials where the plot was subject of a long-term reservation.

The Director of Works and Infrastructure, Dwaine Griffin, told the Council a Bridport Cemetery Policy seemed to have been prepared in 1992 to close the cemetery for general burials and it would need to be rescinded to allow burials again.

He said attempts to locate a new site for a cemetery in the town had begun four years ago, but none were found suitable.

“It was then decided to reinvestigate the potential of re-opening the original site and designing and investing in a suitable sub-surface draining system.”

He reported that a drainage system was implemented two years ago and its effectiveness monitored particularly over wetter months.

Some provisions would be needed in re-opening the graveyard like increasing plot widths from 1.2 to 1.5 metres and allowing only single depth graves.

There would be room for about 50 graves in the existing section and the neighbouring area would need similar sub-surface drainage work before it could be considered.

The recommendation to rescind the Bridport Cemetery Policy was agreed unanimously, with council staff being roundly commended for the efforts to reopen the cemetery.

Councillor Leonie Stein said it was important that as the second most populous town in the municipality that Bridport had its own cemetery.

“It will ease a lot of emotional stress and heartache for families who will be able to have their loved ones nearby.”

Councillor Dale Jessup congratulated the team for persevering.

“It would have been easy just to leave the cemetery closed, but they’ve come up with a good result.”

Mayor Greg Howard also commended the council gang.

“It’s not every time you get to solve a 30-year problem,” he said.