Ground breaking ceremony at the new West Herts Crematorium site
Construction of a new crematorium to serve the residents of West Hertfordshire has been marked with a ground breaking ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by members of the West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee (WHCJC) and Council Leaders, representing the five local authorities involved in delivering the project.
The facility will be a sister-site to the current West Herts Crematorium in Garston, Watford, and is being developed to provide additional capacity.
Work started on site in November last year and is expected to be completed by early Spring next year.
The new crematorium features a remembrance chapel that sits within extensive landscaped grounds on land adjacent to the new Poppy Fields cemetery at Bedmond Road by Bunkers Park.
It will reduce the time that families have to wait to schedule a funeral for a loved-one and enhance the quality of service provided to bereaved families by increasing service times from 40 to 60 minutes so there is more time for individual ceremonies.
Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Chair of the Public Realm Committee of St Albans City and District Council, attended the ceremony.He said:
This is an important development for St Albans District and our neighbouring councils. I am pleased to see the site of our new crematorium taking shape.
This facility is a necessary addition to our community and will allow us to provide a high-quality service for people to say goodbye to their loved ones in a beautiful and tranquil setting.
WHCJC includes representatives from all of the local councils in the area and oversees the management and the operation of the existing crematorium in Garston.
It will manage the new facility which will operate on the same basis as the existing crematorium with services running Monday to Friday and general enquiries on Saturdays.
The other District Councils involved are Watford, Three Rivers, Hertsmere and Dacorum.
Picture: Cllr Rowlands, centre and far left, at the ground breaking ceremony with other Council leaders, by www.twistyimages.com.
Councillor contact: Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, cllr.a.rowlands@stalbans.gov.uk, 07761 232064.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council: 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.