The fourth phase of renovations to the Garden Cemetery are slated to get underway this summer, and once completed, the cemetery will once again be open to the public.
“Over the past five years, the city council has invested over $3 million to improve the cemetery,” stated City Manager Fidel Maltez. “Our Department of Housing & Community Development will begin Phase 4 of these renovations this summer. Once this phase is completed, the Garden Cemetery will be open to the public.”
The fourth phase of the renovations have a projected cost of just over $627,000 and are being paid for with capital improvement funds.
The city is bidding out the work for the phase, which will include major path completion, installation of additional shade trees, 200 monument repairs, plot boundary wall resets, interior retaining wall repairs, solar down-light flagpole luminaries, and repair of the stone dust pathway.
Past repairs to the Garden Cemetery included the landscaping and refurbishing of paths at the Soldier’s Lot and the refurbishment of the Shawmut Street gates and archway in the first phase.
The second phase consisted of improvements to the perimeter walls as well as tree plantings and monument repair. The third phase included rehabilitation of crypts in the central area and staircase repairs and improvements.
While the cemetery will open to the public with the completion of the fourth phase, there is the potential for future phases of renovations funded through $600,000 in the FY25 Capital Improvement Plan.
That potential work includes the Shawmut sidewalk restoration, 100 additional monument restorations, the installation of regimental flagpoles, genus/species signs for trees, and canon rehabilitation for historical preservation purposes, according to Maltez.
“We appreciate the Council’s support during the renovation efforts of this critical city effort,” stated Maltez. “In addition to this capital work, we will focus on prompt mowing of the Garden Cemetery going forward.”