Some Dawn-Euphemia residents are concerned they can’t get to an historic cemetery south of Alvinston.
The Cameron Cemetery on Cameron Road in the former Euphemia Township used to be part of the Knox Presbyterian Church. The church closed in 1999 and the building was moved to the Lambton Heritage Museum.
After that happened, Councillor Bill Bilton says neighbours began to complain about the state of the cemetery, that was still being used. The last burial on the site was 2013; the first was in 1823.
The township began to care for the cemetery and has for a number of years. But this fall, Clerk Administrator Donna Clermont received a call from a resident saying the driveway to the cemetery was gone.
Mayor Al Broad says the land surrounding the cemetery was recently sold and the owner thought the former church property belonged with the parcel.
Clermont says the title search at the time of the sale of the property only went back 40 years. The church property dates back 150 years.
After doing some research, Clermont found the cemetery and the now ploughed church grounds still belong to the Presbyterian church.
Broad says the municipality would be glad to take care of the property, but he wants to see the property turned over to Dawn-Euphemia at no cost.
Clermont says generally the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, which is in charge of cemeteries requires the municipalities to continue the care of the plots.
“We should notify the ministry…we’re not going to go on the property because we don’t have a safe access,” says Broad.
“And we’re not going to take this back on until we get it free and clear without any money.”
Clermont will continue investigating to try to resolve the problem.
