Wellesley council approves memorial bench and tree policy

The Hawkesville Community Centre grounds, shown here with existing memorial benches on the left and right sides of the playground, are among the locations approved for future memorial benches and trees under Wellesley’s new policy. Township of Wellesley Website photo

Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Honouring a loved one who has passed away with a memorial bench or tree in Wellesley Township will now cost $2,500 or $800 respectively, and the placement or those memorials is restricted to five locations throughout the township.

Those changes are part of an official memorial bench and tree policy approved by Wellesley council at its regular meeting July 8. Previously, requests from residents wishing to donate a bench or tree in memory of a loved one have been dealt with on a case-by-case basis, leading to inconsistent procedures and expectations, unclear responsibilities for long-term maintenance, and space limitations in some parks. As the demand for memorial installations increases, township staff proposed the policy to ensure transparency, fairness and alignment with park and green-space planning and maintenance practices.

“We are now recommending going to a model where the donors provide a set fee to the municipality and staff would then order the bench or trees from an approved list provided to the donor,” said Wellesley director of recreation Danny Roth.

“The bench that staff are recommending is a bench that we have purchased for indoor and outdoor use at the Wellesley Township recreation complex. This bench is made from recycled-plastic boards and metal frames, and is good for year-round outdoor use. The benches will be placed on concrete pads and bolted down, and the model would be a cost-recovery model.”

The $2,500 cost for a bench includes a memorial plaque, as well as the materials and labour necessary to install it.

As for trees, donors will select species and planting sites from an approved list, and the planting will be done by township staff or contractors in the spring or fall planting seasons. Donors will have the option of including a ground-level plaque. The $800 donation will cover the cost of the tree, its planting and a one-time replacement if the tree dies within three years.

Currently, there are five sites included in the policy open for both memorial benches and trees. They include the Hawkesville Community Centre grounds, the Linwood Community Centre grounds, the green space in St. Clements at the corner of Anita Drive and Lobsinger Line, the St. Clements Community Centre grounds and the Wellesley Township Recreation Complex grounds.

Additional locations may be brought to council for approval in the future. All sites will be reviewed annually to determine the future capacity for adding benches and trees.

“This won’t, in any way, affect the benches that are already there,” Mayor Joe Nowak asked?

“That’s correct. The recommendation is that the benches that are currently in place have 10 years to adhere to this policy. After 10 years, the benches will be looked at and, at that time, they would have to adhere to the policy,” Roth said. “If benches fail within this first 10 years, the recommendation for replacing them would be they have to adhere to this policy.”