Central Bedfordshire Council to open first crematorium
The facility will mark a milestone for bereavement services in the area, and has been crafted to ‘deliver comfort and peace during difficult times’
Central Bedfordshire Council will be opening its first ever crematorium, Oakfield Gardens, in Steppingley on Thursday 16 May.
The facility will mark a “significant” milestone for bereavement services in the area, and has been crafted to “deliver comfort and peace during difficult times”.
With meticulous attention to detail, and built with environmental sustainability in mind, the facility has been designed to offer solace, comfort and tranquillity to bereaved families during their time of mourning and remembrance.
The facility includes a spacious chapel and landscaping, which includes wildflower meadows and areas to encourage wildlife. Rainwater is also captured throughout the site to support a newly-formed lake.
Within the gardens, there will be options for families to scatter cremated remains over grass areas or, as part of a future plan, have them interred in niches or in the earth.
A formal memorial garden is being formed with shrub borders, where a plaque can be placed to commemorate a loved one. Other memorial options include a book of remembrance and dedicated trees and benches.
Cllr John Baker, executive member of finance at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “Everything has been designed and built with meticulous attention to detail, from the use of sustainable materials in the furniture to the solar panels used to help power the building, landscaping designed to improve biodiversity and provide a peaceful environment for remembrance and reflection.”