Petitioners unhappy with changes to cemetery

SIGN HERE: Barbara Knight gets a signature for a petition to reopen the Archer St cemetery entrance. PHOTO/VOMLE SPRINGFORD

Masterton residents angered by the changes to the Archer St cemetery gates have started a petition.

Barbara Knight, whose parents' graves are in the cemetery, was collecting signatures at the Masterton town hall on Sunday.

Last year, the council converted the cemetery entrance, which cars could go through, to a pedestrian-only entrance - relocating the wrought-iron gates to the Queen Elizabeth park entrance, just beside it.

"We are asking why they had to block that off," said Ms Knight.

Cars can go through the park entrance, which is very narrow, to an alternative cemetery entrance within the park that is being upgraded.

One of the goals of the petition is for the cemetery and the park to be kept separate. "It shouldn't be a part of the park."

The petition started earlier this month and was sparked by campaigner Deidre van Gerven and letters to the Times-Age asking the council to reinstate the gates, said Ms Knight.

There was a good response so far, she said. "People are really interested."

Ms Knight said as a ratepayer she was not consulted at all and this was something that affected her.

"I knew nothing about it.

"Being local and having family there, I feel so restricted."

She said the pedestrian-only entrance made it difficult for some people with limited mobility.

"People from out of town have parked in Archer St and walked through the cemetery, for elderly it's difficult."

She also wondered why the council had spent thousands on a new entrance at the other side of the cemetery which could be accessed by going through the park entrance.

The petition will be available for people to sign at various spots around town in the next two weeks. It will then be presented to the council.