INTHEBLACK April/May 2024 - Magazine - Page 50
Harry Kikstra/Moment via Getty Images
F E AT U R E
Above: The colourful
Chichicastenango
cemetery in Chichi,
Guatemala, February
2010.
“Once the site is full, it is full,” Tuton says.
“Trying to acquire land that is large enough
and appropriate enough for new cemeteries
is quite challenging.
“It can relate to community pressure.
It can be about location. Environmental
factors play into it as well. There are boxes
that must be ticked to find a tract of land
for a new cemetery.”
Cemetery managers globally are facing
the same challenge, Tuton says. Many have
realised that the historical and cultural
aspects of a cemetery must cross over with
the need for green, recreational space in
urban areas.
SMCT’s Springvale Botanical Cemetery
has water features and open green spaces
between the burial plots. People visit the cafe
for a coffee with friends. Bird watching groups
wander the gardens, picnickers spread blankets
under trees, and joggers and cyclists alike use
the pathways and roads.
“For us, it is about respectful use,” Tuton
says. “Springvale is a very active, working
cemetery. There are multiple burials and
ceremonies here per day.
“In addition to that, we offer a cafe.
We have very active community groups
who might do historical walks. We have
a garden group that does some work at one
of our cemeteries. A lot of people engage
in passive recreation such as dog walking.
There are numerous citizen-science activities
like pollinating counts, bird counts, etc.”
Springvale Botanical Cemetery and
Bunurong Memorial Park also offer
a Community Care and Wellbeing
program, for people dealing with grief.
“It is that respectful innovation we are
interested in,” Tuton says. “We are not
PLANNING AND PROACTIVITY: THE FUTURE FUNERAL
Cale Donovan, the co-founder of Bare, an Australian
online funeral company, outlines the changes reshaping
death care.
Where does opportunity lie in the funeral space?
“The biggest opportunity comes from a macroeconomic
shift, the transition from the silent generation to
baby boomers. We are seeing a generational change,
as baby boomers are taking a more proactive role in
their funeral and end-of-life planning. They are more
open about preparing in advance, are less traditional
in their preferences and want increased personalisation
in their funerals.”
50 INTHEBLACK April/May 2024
Where is innovation coming from?
“The major innovation we are seeing is creating
omni-channel experiences for families, which combine
technology with exceptional human interactions.
In combining the two, we can provide an incredibly
personalised, supportive journey for all people experiencing
the death of their loved one.”
How does sustainability and reduction of carbon
emissions fit in?
“Sustainability is increasingly important. We are seeing a rise
in families who make sustainability a priority when farewelling
a loved one.”
