MANITOUWADGE -- The Public Works department will be performing its regular annual fall cleanup of the cemetery in the next couple of weeks.
The grooming and conservation of the cemetery will include the building up and leveling off uneven ground and holes, followed by any necessary grass replacement or re-seeding. Burlap will be used to protect the new seed from birds, and to keep moisture in. Headstones that may have sunk or tilted will be straightened if possible.
Overgrown weeds and other vegetation will be cleaned up, and irreparable ornaments and hazardous items, such as broken border fences and sharp rocks, will be removed. Any ornaments or other decorations that are still in good condition will be carefully removed, tagged and returned to the plot after the work has been done. The Township will contact lot owners via letter if anything has been removed.
There was some concern about wildlife damage to the area this summer. Some young fox pups took up residence near the cemetery and dug a few shallow holes throughout the grounds. The damage is superficial, however, and no permanent damage has been done.
According to John Lavoie, local trapper and conservationist, all canines are known to bury extra food. The foxes are drawn to freshly disturbed earth because there is possibility that another animal has stashed something there, and they could find an easy meal. Foxes are known to den in the general area of the cemetery, probably because the sandy soil is conducive to digging dens.
Darren MacKenzie, director of public works, assures that any work performed by his team will be done in a reverent and respectful manner with as little disturbance to the graves as possible. The funds for this annual cleanup come from the provincially regulated Care and Maintenance Fund, part of the fee paid when first interring a loved one.
For more information about the cemetery, go to the Township of Manitouwadge Cemetery page. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Joleen Keough, Clerk/Planning Administrator at (807) 826-3227 ext: 223 or clerk@manitouwadge.ca.
