New chapel and cremetorium will be flooded with light and warmth

A wall of glass running almost the full length of the northwest facing wall of Hawke’s Bay’s new chapel and crematorium will ensure the inside is flooded with light and warmth.

Yesterday (May 28) Hastings District Council gave the final tick to the $1.2 million project, which would see the new cedar-clad facility built on the site of the old chapel and crematorium at the Hastings Cemetery.

Council’s community facilities and programme manager Alice Heather said no time lines had been confirmed yet, but she believed the work would be completed by mid-2016.

The region’s funeral directors had endorsed the design, and were particularly pleased that the new chapel would be capable of holding at least 100 mourners comfortably, up from the previous 80.

The glass wall will be able to be opened for larger gatherings, so more people can stand under a sheltered porch and see, hear and feel included in the chapel service.

Four new toilets will be included in the new Hawke’s Bay Crematorium facility, rather than in a separate building as they are now, the office area will be more easily accessed without disturbing mourners, and staff areas will be shifted to the workshop and storage area.

Earthquake prone issues and staff safety are just two of the reasons a new facility is needed. At present staff have to climb into the roof space to access records and more clearance space is needed around the cremator for staff safety.

Councillors expressed some concern at the viability of the project, given a new private facility was planned for Hastings, however mayor Lawrence Yule said there was a “strong public service component in the region being able to rely on having a crematorium and chapel that allows people to bury their loved ones with dignity”.

Council is planning an open day at the site in June to show people the concept drawings of the new building and to allow the community to view “behind the scenes” in a working crematorium.

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