Masterton cemetery revamp dials up

CLEAN MISSION: Roddy McKenzie at the grave of his grandparents in Masterton's Pioneer Cemetery. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A massive tidy-up at Masterton cemetery, especially in the pioneer section, has been achieved and it is now planned to step the refurbishment up a notch.

Unwanted trees, most of them self-seeding, have been felled to open up the cemetery, allowing sunlight to infiltrate and debris from pathways and around graves has been taken away.

Roddy McKenzie, who belongs to group Friends of Pioneer Cemetery, said much of the work has been done by Corrections Department community service workers.

He said a meeting is planned for 2pm this Sunday so people can decide on what further progress can be made.

Mr McKenzie said everyone is welcome to come along on Sunday and gather at the old caretaker's cottage.

"If it's wet we will meet under the park grandstand.

"We hope to get as many people involved as possible," he said.

On the agenda is a plan to improve the stone masonry which Friends member Roger Hoar is organising and it is hoped descendants of those buried in the cemetery will come to the party and work to improve their neglected family graves.

Mr McKenzie said a series of stories written by Wairarapa Archivist Gareth Winter and published in the Times-Age had helped greatly to generate public interest in the cemetery project.