09.06.09
Upright Monument Priviledges vs Memorial Parks
Memorial Parks vs Upright Priviledge Parks or GardensJune 2, 2007 on 8:02 pm In Sound Off 1 Comment
I marvel at the history of the memorial park design. I read an article a couple of years ago, about the memorial park design. I agreed wholly with the ideal that the memorial park design set memorialization back 100 years. The maintenance savings touted with this design can be argued easily, but more importantly, the loss of the revenue stream from upright monuments as well as the loss of the artform of the upright memorialization is a shame for the industry.
First, the supposed savings in maintaining a cemetery with flat granite or bronze on granite is a total farce. Yes, you can mow directly over the flat marker, but you still have to go back and weedeat all four sides of the flat marker to keep it clean and viewable. There is no less maintenance. In fact, there is more. The turn under vases require constant maintenance, as they get knocked over by mowers, foot traffic, etc. And quite frankly, I think memorial parks are boring. And let’s face it, there is only so much you can say in memorialization on a small, flat piece of granite or bronze.
The upright marker cemetery offers more options for telling a story, there is just more room on that granite to say things about the family or loved one interred there. The upright marker lends more character to the cemetery and is more easily noticed.
In every instance where I have opened a garden in a cemetery, allowing upright priviledge, sales have been brisk. This is, more than not, what people want in a cemetery. So why, does the industry as a whole not listen to their clientelle and give them what they want and are willing to pay for?
The cremation rate may be ever increasing, and that is another subject entirely, I truly believe some of the fault is on the parts of cemeteries that have become flat, boring, unoriginal landscapes that offer nothing to draw interest or creativity. Yes, pricing within the industry plays heavily in the cremation rate, but I feel if people are given the options they desire, they are more inclined to go that direction.
Monument companies offerings used to be handcrafted art works. Now, the flat marker allows more computerization for etchings, taking the personal artform out of the equation. I think we are ignoring too large a desire by enforcing a design that was ill advised to begin with.
Feel free to chime in. I am interested to know varying points of view on this matter.
