Funeral directors, celebrants, members of the clergy and representatives within the bereavement sector came together this week for a service of dedication at the new crematorium at Maple Park in Thirsk
The multi-million-pound Hambleton District Council led development, which was named Maple Park in memory of members of the Royal Canadian Airforce who sadly lost their lives in the area during WW2, opened in March this year.
The service yesterday included an opening prayer and bible reading by The Reverend Lynn Thorius, Minor Canon of Ripon Cathedral and a reading by celebrant, Pauline Garnett.
Songs were performed by Thirsk School Choir. The service closed with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by leader of the council, Councillor Mark Robson.
He said: “We are very pleased to dedicate the new crematorium to its community.
“A crematorium to serve local families at such difficult times has been required for some time, and the community has already grown to value this facility, the staff, and the service it offers.
“We’re grateful to everyone who joined us for our service of dedication and who has supported us in any way during the first few months of our crematorium establishing itself in the community.”
The 22-acre site which features a revolutionary electric cremator to reduce emissions and therefore the area’s carbon footprint, includes a service hall to accommodate around 120 mourners, with additional room for standing. It also includes a wake facility and café with views out over the Hambleton Hills.
The site also offers a memorial garden, meadows and a wooded area making it a calm and peaceful place for reflection or for scattering ashes.
A digital book of remembrance – the first in North Yorkshire – is also available, enabling families to create, edit and publish final messages for their loved ones.
The site poignantly also features 98 maple trees, planted to commemorate the bombers lost in operations flown from nearby RAF Skipton-on-Swale.
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