By-Laws & Regulations

Gananoque Cemetery Rules and Regulation adopted 1984. Click the link or download button to review.

BY LAWS GANANOQUE CEMETERY INC:

  1. Administration
  2. Rules and Regulations
  3. Interments
  4. Care of Lots
  5. Monuments and Markers
  6. Installation of Monuments, Markers, Footstones
  7. Appendix #2 Pricing
  8. Newly Designated Pet Burials
  9. Volunteer Board Members

Administration:

The administration of the Gananoque Cemetery complies with the statutes of the Cemeteries Act of the Province of Ontario.

  1. In September of each year, the Board, from its membership, shall elect a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Manager of the Cemetery, and Board members
  2. A Cemetery Manager is appointed to oversee the Superintendent and other paid employees.
  3. Perpetual care funds collected by the Cemetery Company as part of the purchase price of lots, subdivision of lots, or niches shall be forwarded to its trust company for safe-keeping and invested as described in the Statues of the Cemeteries Act of the Province of Ontario.
  4. The Treasurer shall, at the first meeting held subsequent to the approval of the financial statement each year, present a detailed financial statement covering the operations of the previous year.
  5. The Cemetery Manager shall be the contact medium between the Board and the employees. The Superintendent, hired by the Board for seasonal everyday maintenance, shall be the contact for the lot owners and general public. The Cemetery manager shall keep a register of the lots sold, record requisite for interments and for other Cemetery service. The Manager shall also keep time sheets and make computations of wages payable to employees and perform such other duties as the Board may direct.
  6. Employees in the Cemetery are required to be courteous towards lot owners and other visitors. Failure in this regard should be reported to the the Cemetery Manager immediately.
  7. Employees are to notify the Cemetery Manager or Treasurer if any lot owners provide gratuities or donations in cash or any other form.
  8. The sale and transfer of lots is made subject to the conditions imposed by these regulations and to any amendment thereto which may hereafter be prescribed by the Board subject only to provincial Government enactment or regulations.
  9. Upon the death of a lot owner, the Board will recognize the change in ownership of the lot affected to a relative through bequest in a probated will. Where any owner dies intestate, or no disposal of the Cemetery lot is made in a will, the Board will, subject to judicial or legislative authority, recognize as the rightful owner the person or persons acquiring the residue of the deceased owner’s estate.
  10. Regulations prescribed by the Board shall remain in force until amended and any amendment or revision may be made by a majority vote at any regular or specially held meeting of the Board.
  11. The schedule of service charges as adopted by the Board and any amendment thereof shall be deemed an integral part of the Regulations of the Board. See Appendix #2
  12. Overdue accounts may be subject to interest charges (relative to the existing bank rate at the time of death of lot owner) or unpaid balances.
  13. A copy of these regulations shall be made available free of chare to all lot owners.

Rules and Regulations:

Purchase of Lots:

  1. Lots, subdivision of lots and single graves for human burial purposes or cremation are to the purchased from the Cemetery for cash as determined from time to time.
  2. The Gananoque Cemetery is divided into Blocks 114 feet x 132 feet. Sections 20 feet x 20 feet, with 30 inch paths around the perimeter and lots 10 feet x 10 feet. A lot 10 feet x 10 feet will accommodate 2 burials 40 inches x 96 inches each and the installation of a stone or marker at the head of the burial plot. Single plots 40 inches x 120 inches will accommodate one burial or two cremations 40 inches x 30 inches are available upon request.
  3. The issuance of a deed for the lot shall not purport to be a conveyance in fee, but shall constitute only the exclusive right to use such a lot or subdivision for human burial purposes subject to the Regulations of the Company.
  4. No conveyance will be issued by the Board and no transfer will be deemed to have been made unless and until full payment for the lot or other subdivision and as well for perpetual upkeep on the same, shall have been paid in full.
  5. Co-incident with the purchase of any lot or other subdivision, the purchaser shall pay an amount to be known as perpetual upkeep based on the rates established by the sitting Board.
  6. The Board shall forward all perpetual cared portions of sales to its trust company for investment and the income from the trust company shall be used for maintaining the Cemetery.
  7. The use of pots for burial purposes is restricted to the family and other close relatives of the lot owner and no trafficking in plots will be countenanced by the Board.
  8. The re-sale of any lot, subdivision, or columbarium may be made to the Board. No transfer of any lot or plot will be recognized by the Board until application is made in writing. A plot or lot may be transferred to a family member by written application or as the result of a probated will or testament. A transfer fee will be charged for such a transfer of ownership. No transfer of a part of an original holding will be permitted if, in the opinion of the Board, such subdivision of the original lot would be detrimental to the Cemetery plan.

Interments

  1. A Burial Permit issued by the Division Registrar must be delivered to the Cemetery Superintendent before interment can take place.
  2. All interments in the Columbarium must be accompanied also by a Burial permit.
  3. When necessary in order to avoid danger of contagion or infection, application for a grave opening must be made to the Superintendent at least 36 hours in advance of the proposed hour of interment. Shorter notice may involve delay for which the Board cannot assume responsibility.
  4. Application for a grave opening should be in writing and contain adequate information with regard to the name, age, and place of death of the deceased. The address of the nearest relatives, the location of the lot, the number of the lot and block required for interment and any other pertinent information that may be required for the records of the Board.
  5. Persons ordering grave openings shall be held responsible for payment for charges incurred.
  6. The fee for grave opening and interment shall be due and payable upon ordering the service.
  7. The Board will not be responsible for mistake or misunderstanding arising from verbal or telephone orders.
  8. The scale of fees for grave openings shall be based on the size of the grave, the labor involved, and the time of year.
  9. The use of oversized shells of wood, metal, stone, or concrete as well as double depth graves necessitates the graduated scale of charges set forth in the schedule of fees for services.
  10. The increasing use of oversized shells does not permit the Board to assume responsibility for the number of grave openings that may be made in any lots.
  11. Where an additional interment is requested and approved by the Board for a grave space already occupied a the regulation depth, a fee will be charged to cover the cost of deepening the original interment. When a double depth opening is made in the first instance an additional fee is required.
  12. Not more than two interments may be made in a double grave.
  13. none other than employees of the Company will be permitted to make grave openings and an employee of the Cemetery shall be resent at all internments.
  14. Interments will be made only in the open season of the year. Variation in the duration and severity of winter and the depth of frost will be the chief guides in the Boards determination of dates between which no interments will be made, excepting those which may be necessary to avoid the possibility of spreading contagious disease or other unforeseen reasons. An extra charge will be made for emergency winter internments.
  15. During the period of the year in which interments are not made, the mortuary in the Cemetery will be made available for reception and temporary custody of remains including those intended for interments in other cemeteries.
  16. A fee will be charged for winter committals within the mortuary and the charges for interments from the mortuary will be the same as those in effect for direct interments.
  17. No interments will be made on Sundays or Christmas Day.
  18. Funerals will be allowed in the Cemetery only between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm
  19. Funeral corteges within the Cemetery shall follow the route indicated by the Superintendent.
  20. The Superintendent shall have the authority to restrict the number and kind of vehicles and the roadways that may be used.

Care of Lots

1.The Board having provided for perpetual upkeep of sold lots, undertake the grading, seeding, grass cutting and general care of lots.

2. No shrub or tree shall be planted on any lot except by permission of the Board and the Board reserves the right to approve the type of shrub or tree, the location and to trim or REMOVE any tree or shrub if and when it considers such action is necessary for safety or beautification of the Cemetery.

3. The planting and cultivation of flowers and foliage plants within a restricted area in front of a monument is permitted. But, the extent of the area so planted and the kind of plant must be approved by the Board. permanent plantings will not be permitted on a single grave lots.

4. The use of receptacles for cut flowers is permitted on lots of any size, but such receptacles must be watertight and of good appearance. Withered flowers are to be removed or will be removed by Cemetery employees. No wire holders or glass bottles on the ground or base of a headstone are permitted as they are deemed a safety hazard to staff and visitors.

5. Artificial wreaths or designs are permitted on graves or lots during the fall/winter months only. All artificial wreaths or designs MUST be removed before May 15 of each year or when deteriorated or they will be removed by Cemetery staff if lot owners neglect them.

6. In order to facilitate the perpetual care of lots, no mounds, embankments, railings, hedges, or border plantings boundary walls or oversized markers will be permitted.

7. No lot owner shall change the grading of the lot, cut any sod, or move any corner posts or markers.

8. Funeral Directors may furnish seats for mourners at funerals, but no seats or benches or similar equipment will be permitted to be permanently installed without the approval of the Board.

Monuments and Markers

  1. A monument shall be understood to mean a permanent memorial projecting above ground level. A marker shall be a small memorial set flush with the ground level not projecting above ground level.
  2. The Board reserves the right to determine the maximum size and type of monuments ad marker, s their number and their location on each lot or small subdivisions.
  3. Monuments to be erect by or for lot owners shall be set upon adequate concrete bases. (see installation of monuments)
  4. The Board reserves the right to refuse permission for the erections of any monument which in its opinion, would mar the beauty or detract from the dignity of its environment. Variety and design is desirable, but the design and dimensions of monuments must conform to the balances beautification of the Cemetery.
  5. A double lot 10 feet x 20 feet may have as ingle large upright monument centered on the 10 foot x 20 foot double lot. If the lots are end to end lettering may be both sides of the monument. If the lots are side by side, the lettering will be on the grave side only. A surname and or logo may be lettered on the opposite side.
  6. A two grave plot monument must be located on the center of the top line of the original 10 x 10 foot lot.
  7. A single grave plot may have a flat marker only.
  8. Monuments, markers, and footstones shall be marble, granite, bronze, or ceramic. Other composition memorials may be used with the approval of the Board.
  9. Upright monuments foundations must be 4 inches deep and 3 inches larger than the monument base on every side, not above ground level at any point.
  10. Before any foundation is poured or installed the Superintendent at the Cemetery, or in his absence, a Board member must approve the layout.
  11. A monument is not to be set on a wet foundation. The foundation must cure sufficiently that the monument will not tilt or slide after placement.
  12. Flat monuments when set in cement, must have a 3 inch border on every side, not above the ground level at any point.

Installation of Monuments, Markers, and Footstones

  1. The installation of any monument or marker must have prior approval of the Board. A deed or receipt must have been issued of a lot or division of a lot before approval can be given. The Board requires 48 hours notice before approval can be issues.

2. For the purpose of these regulations, an UPRIGHT monument means a memorial of granite, marble, bronze, or ceramic set upright and projecting above ground level. A FLAT monument means a memorial of granite, marble, bronze, or ceramic set flat and level with the ground projecting no more than 1 inch above ground level. A MARKER is a small memorial not to exceed 12 feet x 24 feet made of marble, granite, bronze, or ceramic to mark the location of individual graves, located at the head of the grave and lettered with the name and date of the deceased. A FOOTSTONE is a memorial of marble, granite, bronze, or ceramic not to exceed 12 feet x 24 feet to mark the location of individual graves, located at the foot of the grave.

3. Upright and flat monuments may be installed only in Cemetery areas so designated i.e. flat monument is to be installed in Blocks 47 and 51.

4. An upright monument installed on a full lot 10 feet x 10 feet will be on the top center line of the lot at the head of the grave with individual names and dates on the grave side of the monument only. A surname or logo may be on the opposite side.

5. No inscription which the Board considers indecorous or undignified will be permited.

6. Markers or footstones of marble or granite are permitted but must not exceed 12 inches x 24 inches in size with a depth of 3 inches x 5 inches. The upper surface must be flat with no projections and shall be set level with the ground surface.

7. Corner posts of stone marking lot boundaries are permitted. Such corner posts shall have a flat surface area not exceeding 6 inches square and a depth of not less than 4 inches squared on all four sides and shall be placed with the upper surface at ground level. Single grave plots may have two corner posts at the foot if it is intended to place a flat marker at the head of the grave. All corner posts whether purchased from the Board or procured from some other source, shall be set by employees of the Cemetery at the expense of the lot owner or agent.

8. Memorial craftsmen or dealers undertaking the erection of monuments shall assume responsibility of payment for the construction of bases and for other services performed or supplied upon their request by the Board.

9. Monument dealers and contractors, before undertaking any work, shall present an application showing their authority to act on behalf of the lot owner and giving an accurate description of the work proposed.

10. No monument work shall be undertaken until the approval of the Board has been obtained.

11. Upon delivery of a monument the work of its erection shall be completed within a reasonable time and planks shall be used to protect the ground from injury.

12. Work on the erection of monuments shall cease during the period of a funeral service held in the vicinity.

13. Lot owners will be required to keep all stones and monuments in a state of good repair. Upon failure to make such repair as the Board may deem necessary within three months of the date of a written notice to the lot owner, the Board may remove such defective stone or monument or have the same repaired at the expense of the owner.