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Canfield's cemeteries to receive $20,000 refurbishing
CANFIELD
An increasing number of headstones look dilapidated in both the Canfield Village Cemetery and Old North Cemetery.
Many of the oldest headstones from the 1800s are either slanted or broken. Neon duct tape marks the headstones in the worst condition in Canfield Village Cemetery, designating that they need to be refurbished.
Canfield plans to repair some of the more damaged headstones at the Canfield Village Cemetery on U.S. Route 224 and the Old North Cemetery on North Broad Street in a $20,000 project.
Canfield City Council approved the money for this project at its Sept. 17 meeting.
“We’re hopeful to get the [cemetery] work done this year, weather permitting,” said Joseph Warino, Canfield city manager.
He said money for the project comes from the city’s perpetual care fund and that it is now available to use.
John Craig, a member of Canfield’s parks, recreation and cemetery board, is spearheading the project.
Craig has passion for the project because he has family buried at the Canfield Village Cemetery.
“[Craig] has taken it upon himself to lead this project,” said Nick Rosian, chairman of Canfield’s parks, recreation and cemetery board.
“He was put on our staff last year. He told us early on he was tired of looking at the headstones falling over and that he wanted to get the cemeteries back to the way they should be. I think he’s doing a good job.”
John Whitehouse, also a member of Canfield’s parks, recreation and cemetery board, said Craig put all the neon duct tape on old headstones at the Canfield Village Cemetery.
He said most of the marked headstones have either fallen or cracked due to age and weather.
“A lot of the older stones are made out of sandstone, which doesn’t maintain the same life as granite,” Whitehouse said.
“It just doesn’t look good. We’re planning to shape it up and make it look more presentable.”
While Canfield frequently mows the grass and maintains the grounds at its cemeteries, Rosian said he does not remember the city ever taking time or money to refurbish headstones at any of its cemeteries.
Rosian said refurbishing the cemeteries is not cheap, as he estimated it could cost more than $1,000 to fix a headstone due to labor costs.
Rosian said Canfield’s parks, recreation and cemetery board is in the early planning stages for the cemetery project.
He said the board will discuss its cemetery plans at 10 a.m. Oct. 7 during its monthly meeting at city hall.