Gravedigging in Halifax [PHOTOS]

Share

Email This

3 August 2010

Grass-roots charity work doesn’t get much more literal than this. The Holy Cross Cemetery Halifax Restoration Project started out as discussions about four years ago; three years ago they started digging.

The cemetery has been around since 1843 — it’s the oldest Catholic cemetery in Halifax. An estimated 25,000 bodies have been buried there, including Canada’s fourth Prime Minister — Sir John Sparrow David Thompson — who served between 1892 and 1894. Many others who contributed greatly to the founding and building of the city are also buried there, as well as war heroes.

Unfortunately, the cemetery has been largely left alone to decay and become victim to vandals. The Holy Cross Cemetery Trust is working hard to restore and preserve the site.

Getting my hands dirty

I found out about this from the Couchsurfing hosts I was staying with. Kim and Alan were heading there last Saturday and asked if I wanted to join them. No doubt about it, I said.

So at 8:30 AM on a fine Saturday morning, we moseyed up the hill and met with the rest of the group. We were the youngest by far. But no matter. All are welcome, regardless of age, race, sex, religion. I met the man in charge, Brian O’Brien, wearing a Notre Dame Fighting Irish shirt. Can you get more Irish than that?

He used to be an eye surgeon, now he’s leading this project to get the cemetery up to speed. He wants it beautiful, peaceful. He wants to install benches so people can come and relax and enjoy the space. He enjoys the camaraderie of the group who, despite the tough work, have a great time.

It’s a great way to give something to the local community.

Some numbers

Brian O’Brien tossed us some numbers, as far as dollars are concerned. This is a sample of what is needed to complete the restoration:

• $750,000 estimated for the entire restoration project
• $3000 to replace one of the church steeples (see picture below)
• $40,000 to repair the floor of the church
• $5000 to repair each church window
• $40,000 to finish the cemetery fence

You can help out here.

Digging in

Teamwork

Broken tombstone

Getting leverage

These stones are unbelievably heavy and require a lot of strength and ingenuity to move around.

Lots of water is needed, especially when working in the sun. Thankfully someone would come around every once in a while with a flat of water bottles.

Leveling it out

Kim dumping some dirt

Some of the tombstones are buried quite deep. We needed to dig them right out so we could lay down gravel to level the stones.

Cemetery view

Short rest. For the shovel too.

Taking some time out for a good laugh. These are good people. Great people.

Setting the stone back. Once again, these are extremely heavy. That's Brian O'Brien in the red shirt directing the team.

Brushing off the moss and dirt so the engraving is legible again.

The final product

I thought it was a bit weird we were using this tombstone as a table, but you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. And it was for the best intentions. I'm sure they don't mind.

Alan and Kim having a rest

This girl is a freelance writer putting together a piece for The Coast, Halifax's free weekly paper. Here she is asking some questions. She said the article will come out on August 12.

According to Brian O'Brien, this chapel was built in one day. Note the missing steeple on the right side.

Brian explaining some of the graves.

The missing steeple

Wildflowers

The three of us tackled this one on our own. This is the before shot.

Me digging it out.

Now that its out we can lay down the gravel and level the tombstone.

The results of our fine work. Mother would be proud.