By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Approval for the layout of a new section of Riverside Cemetery was given Monday night by Dowagiac City Council.
The new section will be developed on land along Riverside Drive formerly occupied by the cemetery house demolished several years ago, according to City Manager William H. Nelson Jr.
The city Cemetery Board met Oct. 17 and recommended the layout.
Present along with Cemetery Board members Janet Brezen, James Mosier, Councilman Bob B. Schuur, Wanda Franklin and Selina Ivens were Department of Public Services Director Donald N. Hallowell, Grounds/Cemetery Foreman Matt Stack and DPS Officer Manager Sue Watson.
According to the minutes, Mosier moved, seconded by Schuur, to approve the final layout for the new section of Riverside Cemetery, including installing irrigation, changing one area of graves to a low feature bed with shrubs, planting flowering trees in open areas and along the faction edge of the section, and to keep the same grave fees as the rest of the cemetery.
A quote was received from Turf Services for $3,088 to install irrigation.
Hallowell informed the board that a quote was received from Farm N Garden to replace the wrought iron fence along Riverside Drive for $5,186.
The quote is for removing three existing sections and to install 20 new sections that would be fabricated to match the existing fence.
Board members indicated a desire to include this project in the future.
Grounds personnel will replace blocks in need of repair in the Riverside Drive retaining wall this fall.
The board discussed utilizing the Riverside vault as a cremains niche or mausoleum. Stack showed members pictures of the vault's condition.
Its stone front needs to be tuck-pointed, interior plaster needs to be redone and electricity needs to be re-installed.
The vault needs an estimated $40,000 of repairs. Members decided to view the vault at their spring meeting.
The board also discussed the possibility of building an outside mausoleum/cremains niche (wall) at one of these locations: along the cemetery boulevard; in block 1-105/106 by the horseshoe; or along the woods in block 109. Mosier asked that the city look into using the perpetual care fund to rehabilitate Riverside vault for a mausoleum.
Hallowell informed the board of the city's receipt of a $2,500 grant to plant trees in the cemetery and several parks. Mrs. Franklin also donated $500 to plant trees in the cemetery.
New trees will replace old-growth trees damaged by storms.