Beechwood Cemetery easing restrictions for public starting Saturday

Beechwood is starting a phased-in approached to reopening its cemetery and funeral home to the public, as the province begins to relax some of its COVID-19 measures.

Starting Saturday, May 9, access to the cemetery will be allowed between 4 p.m. and sunset on weekdays and between sunrise and sunset on weekends.

To ensure the safety of its employees, Beechwood is asking visitors continue to adhere to the provincial gathering restrictions when at the cemetery or funeral home. Those measures include no more than five people to a group and for everyone to practice physical distancing, keeping at least two metres (six feet) apart.

It's also asking that all visitors enter the cemetery through its Beechwood Avenue entrance.

Beechwood Cemetery grounds and funeral home remain closed to the visiting public during regular business hours. During those hours, Beechwood says it will continue to:

• Make at-need arrangements, via electronic communications;
• Make pre-need arrangements for both funeral and cemetery services;
• Provide traditional and cremation burials and inurnments; and,
• Maintain the cemetery grounds.

Beechwood adds that it reserves the right to close access to the cemetery should visitors not properly maintain the new rules.