Further to Cindy Valhalla’s letter July 22 regarding the conditions at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, there is another situation that is far more deplorable.
As I was researching my house, which was built in 1894, I inquired at the Greater Vernon Museum about who the original owners were and where they were buried.
The records showed that one of the original owners was buried, along with other Vernon pioneers, at a small cemetery just west of Alexis Park Drive, at the corner of 35th Avenue and 38th Street.
On further inquiry, I found out that the gravestones in this cemetery long ago fell into disrepair, and all the available pieces of these stones were gathered and put together in a cement wall at one end of the cemetery.
The bodies of these pioneers are still buried in their original places, and the archives keeps a map of where each person lies, but of course the headstones are no longer above each body.
Now here’s the kicker. This cemetery is now a dog park. I love dogs, own a dog, and love the numerous dog parks we have in Vernon. However, I think it’s very inappropriate that dogs are now doing their business on the graves of these people. I wonder how many people are aware of this little cemetery and what has become of it.
Do they realize when they are taking their dogs out, that they and their pets are walking over unmarked graves, and that their dogs are urinating on them? I believe that the city should get that cemetery map from the museum, figure out where each person is buried, put a small marker on each grave, and require that people take their dogs to one of the many other dog parks that we have in this city, and I’d be happy to volunteer to take on this project.
Would anyone else like to help me?
Jane Maskell
Vernon
