Cemetery halts ban on tributes on children's graves
IPSWICH Cemeteries have announced a two-month moratorium on a policy that prevents families with babies buried at Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery from placing trinkets on their graves.
Last week, the firm which managed the cemetery grounds issued letters on graves in the nursery section asking families to remove ornaments other than two standard vases within 21 days because they hinder maintenance and pose a safety hazard.
Ipswich Cemeteries chief memorial officer Alayne Duncan said families had been invited to attend the next Friends of the Cemeteries meeting on March 4 to suggest solutions so that a compromise could be worked out.
Mary Beck, whose three-month-old daughter is buried in the grounds, welcomed the announcement.
"It's a step closer in the right direction, but all we want is a compromise," she said.
"I would like all families to come together to reach an agreement, whether it is soft toys only, whatever."
Mayor Paul Pisasale said he would like to see commonsense prevail and a compromise brokered.
"It broke my heart to see that in the paper yesterday," he said.
"As a council we are trying everything we can to make the cemetery as tidy as possible.
"We will get to the bottom of this."
It broke my heart to see that in the paper ... we will get to the bottom of this.
