WESTLOCK - Westlock County is surveying all cemeteries in its jurisdiction with plans to create user-friendly maps and an online grave database.
Kevin Trueblood, the agriculture and environmental services coordinator, updated council on the progress of the Cemetery Strategic Plan during the committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 8. Council directed administration to start drafting the plan earlier this year.
“The maps will be able to be read by a layperson,” Trueblood said.
Division 1 Coun. Sherri Provencal raised concerns about squirrels at a cemetery in her division, noting they burrow under monuments, possibly causing them to collapse.
In response, Coun. Stuart Fox-Robinson asked administration if the county has considered hiring a pest removal contractor.
Trueblood explained the challenges of live trapping in remote areas and mentioned the use of a mustard-based aerosol spray in burrows to deter rodents, which are primarily foraging for food rather than creating nests.
He said while rodents are less of an issue at Picardville, Tawatinaw has more trees so there’s more burrowing activity.
In terms of cost implications, Trueblood told council that until the plan is finalized, the financial impact remains minimal, primarily limited to administrative time and resources.
Coun. Jared Stitsen suggested local cemetery groups be permitted to apply for community grants to help with the upkeep of cemeteries.
The cemeteries in Westlock County include Halach Cemetery, Shoal Creek Cemetery, Tawatinaw Cemetery and Pickardville Cemetery. Both community groups and county staff oversee the operations, including caretaking and administration.
The Cemetery Strategic Plan update was accepted as information by the committee of the whole and council is expected to discuss the plan further during the first quarter of 2025.
