By Steve Hubrecht
The Mount View Cemetery at the crossroads will get some new trees.
Columbia Valley resident Dale Hunt brought the issue to attention recently, writing a letter to Invermere council urging them to take some steps to beautify the cemetery, which lies along Lakeview Drive, and is bounded to the north by big-box retail outlets, parking lots and industrial land.
“The location was at one time an out-of-town location where we could visit deceased members of this community peacefully,” wrote Hunt.
“Currently, I find this setting unsightly and far from peaceful —with constant industrial noise from construction and traffic. I feel we owe it to the folks who have passed to offer a space of peace and tranquility for evermore.”
Hunt’s family originally came to the Columbia Valley in 1912, and both his parents and one of his brothers are buried in Mount View.
He acknowledged that there has been substantial growth in the Columbia Valley in the past decade alone, never mind in the many decades since the cemetery was established. But he felt a bit of greenery could go a long way.
“I would like to imagine a full barrier of trees planted to obstruct the noise and the unsightly views of big-box stores, fast food retailers and fuel stations with their traffic. As well, there is a construction company directly beside the cemetery with big trucks and machinery. All quite an eyesore,” wrote Hunt. “I would like to imagine a space separate from the fast pace our valley has taken on with increasing growth.”
Invermere councillors were receptive to Hunt’s idea of a natural barrier along the cemetery’s north side.
“It makes a lot of sense,” said Invermere mayor Al Miller. “Since the cemetery went in, there’s been a lot of change.”
Councillor Kayja Becker agreed “it is important . . . it is a sacred space.”
Invermere director of public works and operations Angela MacLean outlined that there is funding in the budget to plant trees at the cemetery, and District of Invermere staff plan to do it. She said that they will be small trees, and will take some time to grow, but pointed out that this is the only option as fully mature trees are difficult and very expensive to transplant.
The District of Invermere manages the Mount View Cemetery, even though the cemetery technically lies just outside Invermere’s municipal boundaries, in part of Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Area F.
