Town of Neepawa councillor and mayoralty candidate Ron Forsman has proposed the addition of an ash garden at Riverside Cemetery.
"Ash gardens are gaining popularity in communities across the prairies," said Forsman, who picked up the idea while visiting Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg. "I believe it will be a a real asset for the community."
The ash garden will be a scenic area in the Riverside Cemetery for cremated body's ashes. The ashes will be spread on material not unlike wood chips, and the name of the deceased will be added to a central marker.
"It's an easy method for families of the deceased," said Forsman. "No headstone is required, but there is still a memorial [service]."
According to Jack Follows, the Riverside Cemetery custodian, if everything went off without a hitch, we could expect the garden to be ready by September.