Decades of Shifting Soil Plague Lasalle Cemetery

Lasalle Cemetery, established in the 1950s, is experiencing widespread issues with tilting and fallen monuments. An estimated 75% of the over 10,000 gravestones at the cemetery need some level of repair. This problem is largely attributed to the high clay content in the soil, which absorbs water and causes ground heaving during seasonal freeze-thaw cycles. This has been a consistent issue for over a decade.

Bianca Forestell, whose ancestors have been in the area for 125 years, now tends to plots of over 60 relatives and has seen several family stones fall. She faces a $2,200 repair bill for one monument alone. The city's manager of cemetery services noted that while the situation is not ideal, available funds are limited and allocated across 25 cemeteries. Approximately $53,000 is allocated annually for monument repairs from a trust fund, derived from maintenance fees paid at plot purchase.

The estimated cost to repair all monuments at Lasalle Cemetery is nearly $9 million over five years. However, city staff do not recommend the municipality assume this responsibility, citing provincial guidelines and the official responsibility of rights holders for repairs. For historical monuments where rights holders cannot be found, annual repair costs are estimated at $235,000, plus equipment costs. Councillor Mike Parent is exploring volunteer initiatives, but safety concerns regarding the weight and repair of granite monuments are a significant hurdle, suggesting the status quo will likely continue without new funding or volunteer expertise.