It’s common to view cemeteries solely as resting places for the dead in Canada. However, memorial parks transcend this border, and function as vital community spaces that foster reflection, unity, and healing. Today we’ll answer this question, “Why are memorial parks important for communities?”
Memorial parks can preserve a community’s history and cultural identity. They can help a community heal together, teach young generations about history and legacy, and offer spaces that soothe stressed or grieving individuals. These cemeteries are also designed with natural elements, making them environmentally beneficial.
In this article, we’ll briefly highlight the features of a memorial park, and then move on to the 6 benefits that they provide for a community. We will aim to clear any confusion you may have about cemeteries and memorial parks, and help you understand how vital they are for your area.
What is a Memorial Park?
A memorial park or a memorial garden is a cemetery that is beautifully designed to create a space for communities to frequent. These cemeteries incorporate natural elements with discreet elements such as flat markers. These cemeteries aim to function as gathering spaces for entire communities and serve them as preservers of local legacy.
3 features set a memorial park apart from a typical cemetery:
- Unique Aesthetic: These cemeteries are designed to serve more as parks for communities to visit than house the dead. Manicured lawns, gardens, and natural scenery are highlighted while cemetery elements are designed to be discreet but elegant.
- Emphasis on Nature: These cemeteries make nature their central theme. They incorporate elements such as trees, flowers, water, natural light, and unobstructed views of the sky into their architecture.
- Modern Design Philosophy: Memorial parks take a different approach to cemetery design. They attempt to celebrate life and uplift the visitors’ moods. They try to move away from somber, and grave tones that highlight the dead’s presence.
6 Ways Memorial Parks Help Communities
Memorial parks provide a space for communities that provides multiple benefits. Here are the most notable and most impactful 6:
Preserving Community Heritage
Instead of a mere resting place for the dead, memorial parks become a physical record of the community’s history. It houses and celebrates individuals and their contributions to the community. Its design focuses on highlighting the community’s stories and cultural shifts. It effectively becomes a collective cultural heritage.
Space for Collective Healing
Unlike cemeteries, the open, natural spaces of memorial parks make people come together. The grieving still have space to maintain their privacy and dignity, but they have the option to reach out to others. In moments of significant tragedy, or as an event, the community has the space needed to remember their loved ones and heal together.
Teaching the Next Generation
Many memorial parks offer educational programs that teach visitors about local history, cultural practices, and notable contributors. For the upcoming generations of a community, there is no better or more accurate source of information. For families that seek to preserve their family legacy, this is the perfect space.
Aiding in Environmental Sustainability
These parks focus on nature and natural elements as their primary design elements. As a result, the parks serve as sanctuaries for preserving greenery and wildlife. Intelligent design also lowers their operational costs down as they rely on natural elements for ambient temperature control, airflow and other elements. They serve as urban green spaces that enhance the ecological health of communities.
Promoting Social Interaction and Recreation
The parks have open spaces with walking paths, gardens, seating areas and other elements that highly encourage social interaction. Many parks will have spaces for community events, cultural customs, religious rituals, and even recreational opportunities. By providing room for conversations and social gatherings, memorial parks enrich the social fabric of the community.
Supporting Mental Health and Well-being
Memorial parks are perfect spaces for people to interact with nature. The greenery helps lower cortisol levels and blood pressure while improving sleep. They also remove people from the constant bombardment of modern workspace and social media, giving the mind a quite space to contemplate and recover.
Bakerview Memorial Cemetery. Proud to Serve the Community
Bakerview Memorial Cemetery is Metro Vancouver’s newest cemetery, with open spaces and burial options available for every religion and culture. We are proud to be locally owned, and dedicated to serving the community. Our burial spaces such as the Wisteria Gardens Columbarium incorporate natural and community-specific elements in their designs, creating welcoming spaces for visitors.
With $300 a month for traditional burials and $99 a month for cremation spaces, we are one of the most notable and affordable cemeteries in the Lower Mainland. So, give us a call at (604) 856-0330 and get a free tour of the grounds today.
Conclusion
Memorial parks are important landmarks in a community’s culture and history. They help a community to stay anchored, preserve and propagate their legacy, and come together to celebrate their unity. So, the more we understand and prioritize their existence, the more our communities will benefit.
Published: March 12, 2025
