A landscape architect has been retained by the City to develop a Master Plan for the Garden Cemetery’s renovation, with Phase 1 potentially beginning this fall, officials announced.
According to Planner Karl Allen, the complete renovation is targeted for completion by 2024.
“We’ve hired our landscape architect to put together a phased Master Plan for rehabilitating the cemetery,” Allen stated. “Our goal is to have it in a condition where we can open it to the public from dawn to dusk on a daily basis by 2024 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Chelsea.”
The extensive restoration of this historic, garden-style cemetery is included in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which the City Council approved the previous week. The CIP allocates $350,000 toward the Garden Cemetery project, City Manager Tom Ambrosino explained.
The Master Plan will provide a comprehensive analysis of the full rehabilitation effort and its associated expenses, he noted.
“It’s a little bit of a jewel,” Ambrosino said. “I think the City would like to spend some money to make it pop a little bit. It can be a small oasis in the middle of the city if treated properly and with a significant investment. I’m proud to recommend that.”
Bidding for phase one is scheduled to begin in the fall as the initial component of the program.
The first phase encompasses repair of the deteriorating retaining wall on Shawmut Street, which is in danger of collapse. Additional work includes installation of a new metal fence around the cemetery perimeter and construction of a new central gate at Shawmut and Chester. A new French gate and arch bearing the inscription ‘Garden Cemetery 1841’ will replace the current entrance.
Plans for the following year include continuing rehabilitation efforts, making the pathways ADA compliant, and restoring the Soldier’s Lot. The deteriorated asphalt paths will be replaced incrementally with period-appropriate materials such as stone dust.
A significant challenge involves numerous gravestones that have fallen or been displaced over the decades. While resetting all fallen stones represents a substantial expense, Allen indicated this work will likely proceed gradually.
“That’s definitely on our radar in order to get it open,” Allen said. “The restoration and resetting of the graves toppled is probably a very long-term process…Our initial purpose is to address safety issues.”
The project is also expected to incorporate an educational component designed to engage Chelsea school students and increase their awareness of the Garden Cemetery’s history and significance.