The Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery space crisis has left families considering stacked burials as public plots rapidly vanish. Officials are squeezing extra graves into poorly mapped sections of the historic property while hoping for new donations from the Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau.
The remaining public burial plots will likely run out by June, forcing residents to explore costlier options. The cemetery, founded in 1915, is a historical site that contains the graves of notable politicians, Bush pilots, and early business owners.
Although more than 15,000 graves fill nine square city blocks downtown, the public burial areas are already full. Around 2,000 remaining sites are reserved for private families and organizations leaving limited space for public burial.
Furthermore, cemetery director Rob Jones explained that older parts were constructed without contemporary mapping techniques, resulting in uneven rows and wasted space. The construction crews used specialized technology to find 23 viable sites and another 20 possible burials in the springtime.
Anchorage voters recently rejected a $4.1 million bond to establish new cemeteries in Eagle River and Girdwood. Advocates like Tommy O’Malley argue that these sites would ensure affordable options for all residents. The failure to pass the bond leaves families reliant on limited free plots.
However, with limited expansion options, the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery space crisis highlights the critical need for affordable burial solutions in Anchorage.
This news article was originally published by Anchorage Daily News.
