Screenshot of Proposed Crematorium
Another attempt is being made by Dryden Community Funeral Home to build a crematorium on their Grand Trunk Avenue property.
A virtual public meeting was held Monday to gather input and information on a rezoning application.
The nearly 3 hour meeting included views from both sides with concerns on location, noise and environment.
The crematorium would be an addition to the exisiting building and would be designed for both humans and pets, as staff say they’re hoping to meet rising demands.
Phil Savage spoke on behalf of the applicant and says they currently have to travel to Beausejour, Manitoba or Thunder Bay.
“This would effectively cover the entire northern area including Fort Frances, Kenora, Sioux Lookout, Ignace and Red Lake. Our services would effectively give the community and all of those who seek our services a lower price compared to that of the competition, eliminating the need for our drivers to be on the roads and travelling an eight hour trip in order for a loved one to be cremated and returned to their family in due time.”
Kayla Jonassen adds, “Staff take the deceased to Soberings first thing in the morning, wait for the cremation to be completed, and return home with the ashes. This makes for a 10 to 16 hour day, approximately 8 to 10 times per month. The one day trip is ideal for general work-life balance for staff as well as the deceased being returned in good time for arrangements.”
Jonassen says having a crematorium in Dryden would save them $500-$600 in travel costs, make it cheaper for a family to utilize their service, as well as people coming in spending money on hotels, restaurants, gas and retail.
Savage stresses their proposal meets all environmental, health, noise and safety standards.
He states they can’t afford to find a new site.
“The DFCH has already spent $80,000 on this project as of October 2020. This includes updates to the emissions reports from Cambian as well as the re-application for the current location. This has placed an immensed financial burden on the funeral home and we refuse to relocate it to another location and incur more costs due to public misinformation.”
Savage adds, “Relocating would force us to incur more costs including re-applying for zoning, purchasing the property through bidding leading to uncertainty, clearing the land for building, as well as building a new structure to have the crematorium, something that would place us upwards of half-a-million dollars, if not more.”
Numerous others weren’t as satisfied
Brenda Bell says their group is not against the business, they are against the location.
“We’re not in a congested city where we don’t have the ability. And I don’t think we want our city and our children and our people and our neighbours to be the guinea pigs for this new crematorium in a residential area.”
Bell also stressed the facility is attached to environmental and health concerns including mercury.
“There’s no room for error. No room for error. Somewhere else I think that it would not be as big of an issue and certainly we’re looking at the science. The problem is there is not a lot of science there to prove that it’s safe for our people and it is too close.”
A similar attempt to build a crematorium was made in 2019 but the Dryden Community Funeral Home withdrew its application that fall amid public concern and backlash.
Tommy Johnson says everyone in North Dryden is beyond frustrated that this issue is back in front of Council.
“For my family, myself, my neighbours, and the residents of north Dryden, this is the most important issue that we have seen come before Council. It will affect our health, our homes and our belief in city elected officials to do the right thing. This is not about business, this is about well-being.”
He adds, “The proposed location would back on directly to many of my neighbours backyards. Would be only steps away from the nature and city walking trail. It’s near a church, upwind from New Prospect School, the skateboard park, the Rotary Soccer Fields. It backs onto Swanson’s Creek which carries water to the Wabigoon River and if built would literally overlook the proposed build of the five Skillen Place rentals.”
Others are concerned a crematorium would drive down property values and even force people to move.
City staff report receiving 43 emails and 4 phone messages prior to the meeting.
46 were in objection and one person who lives close to the funeral home said she has no problem with a crematorium.
Staff say the crematorium is attached to the exisiting building and the the nearest wetland is 300 metres away from the subject lands so there are no anticipated negative impacts to natural heritage features as a result of the proposal based on the separation distance.
A preliminary technical report also finds if everything is done correctly, there will be no adverse affects regarding noise, odour and emissions.
Any new crematorium build is subject to strict Ontario environmental and health reviews.
Council is scheduled to vote on the rezoning motion on April 26.
You can hear the applicants presentation below:
To hear Brenda Bell, who is one representative of the opposition, visit the Audio link below.
There were also two outside views with expertise on crematoriums including Andrew Reynolds:
The other came from Sadie Bachynski:
