Grave concerns over 'disrespectful' drivers damaging paths and gravestones in Wick
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Issues concerning cars accessing Wick's cemetery and damaging headstones and pathways were discussed at last night's meeting (March 6) of the town's community council.
Members of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council (RBWCC) talked about the "disrespectful" behaviour of some drivers who access gravesites by travelling along pedestrian paths and cause damage along the way.
“The council officers have been noticing, as have we, that vehicles in the new cemetery are causing damage to some of the lairs and headstones. We have even had drivers driving along the actual paths rather than the main driveways," said Wick and East Caithness councillor Raymond Bremner.
Teams of local councillors and other volunteers have worked together over the last five years to maintain Wick cemetery after it had become overgrown with weeds and suffered from years of neglect. Some of the RBWCC members at Monday's meeting had helped improve the graveyard and one asked if the gates could perhaps be locked. Cllr Bremner replied by saying that the matter would be further discussed with Highland Council.
"Many of our cemeteries in Caithness can be accessed by vehicles but people do not habitually take their vehicles in," he added.
"I absolutely recognise that there are a number of folks who find it really helpful being able to assist access to visit their loved ones and pay their respects but we have to protect the cemetery lairs and grounds from damage. There has been some recent discussion between officers and members and we need to look at ways of how we better protect the cemetery. That may include restricting access and coming up with a way that any vehicular access goes through a process of secure access rather than unlimited access."
Cllr Bremner talked about the "tremendous amount of improvements" in the cemetery over the past five years and paid a debt of gratitude to the volunteers supporting the work of Highland Council.
"The work of the volunteers has been allowing the council to attend to many tasks that they were otherwise unable to undertake over the past couple of years including repair of ground levels and renewal of paths. The rose beds have also been renewed and we have been able to purchase machinery that adds to the look of the cemetery with GoFundMe donations. It’s one of the reasons that we are really keen to protect the work that has been undertaken."
At the meeting is was acknowledged that the problem appears to be peculiar to Wick and that vehicles do not habitually drive along narrow pathways to reach graves at, for example, Thurso's cemetery. "It never used to be like that," exclaimed one member. "It's disrespectful," said another.
Cllr Bremner told the Groat: “I know that council officers have been aware of damage to headstones and edges of lairs in the new cemetery which is really unfortunate and very disappointing.
"I know that many need access to be able to visit and attend their loved ones so we have to come up with a solution that makes the cemetery accessible to those who need it but protects it from damage at the same time.”
