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Our City Richmond

By Florence Gordon

Published 10:37 PDT, Fri May 23, 2025

‘Good to Know’

Envisioning a Memorial Garden

Share your thoughts to help us understand your needs and preferences for a potential Memorial Garden in Richmond.

Currently, the City of Richmond does not offer a dedicated space for memorialization. With the community’s input this can be tastefully done. The city where I grew up, the main street connected to a highway to the north and south so there was a lot of traffic. There was a sidewalk but there was also greenbelt area next to the sidewalk which the city developed into a safer walkway for pedestrians. With input from the community they established the greenbelt area into a park-like setting allowing local citizens to plant a tree or install a bench that included a plaque “In memory of”. Of course, the city oversaw the master plan. My family planted a tree on the greenbelt near the creek in memory of a loved one which brought a sense of closeness when I returned home to pay my respects so I can say from experience, it is a respectful alternative to a cemetary site or when a love one asks to be cremated and spread their ashes in another city.

Richmond’s recent public announcement is asking for a public engagement process to help the city better understand community needs and preferences as they relate to the potential for a Memorial Garden in Richmond. A Memorial Garden could be a place where residents remember and pay tribute to deceased loved ones in a variety of ways. Such a site would typically offer a diverse range of opportunities for memorialization that reflects community preferences and traditions within a serene, contemplative park setting. A specific site is not being considered at this time. There are a number of opportunities for the public to participate online and in person.

Online visit: LetsTalkRichmond.ca/MemorialGarden to learn more and complete an online survey. The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

In person open houses: City staff, including those with proficiency in Mandarin and Cantonese, will be available to discuss the project, answer questions and gather feedback via interactive open house boards presented in English and Traditional Chinese.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hamilton Community Centre

5140 Smith Drive, Hamilton • Saturday May 31, 2025 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

West Richmond Community Centre

9180 No. 1 Road, Richmond • Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cambie Community Centre

12800 Cambie Road, Richmond • Tuesday, June 3, 2025 | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cambie Community Centre • 12800 Cambie Road, Richmond

Timeline

Timeline item 1 – active

Public engagement

May 12 to 11:59 p.m. on June 22, 2025

Timeline item 2 – incomplete

Analysis of engagement results

June/July 2025

Timeline item 3 – incomplete

Report to council

Report to council with Results and Recommended Next Steps – Fall 2025

For more information

Visit LetsTalkRichmond.ca/MemorialGarden

Email parks@richmond.ca

Call 604-233-3311

This is an important opportunity for Richmond residents to share whether they support this initiative and ensure that any prospective Memorial Garden would meet the diverse cultural and spiritual needs of the community. The results of this public engagement process will inform recommended next steps that will be presented to council for consideration in fall 2025.