SHANE Rattenbury is asking for public comment on a proposal to expand Woden Cemetery to help cater for the burial needs of Canberrans, particularly southsiders.

“The remaining burial plots at the Woden cemetery are expected to be sold in the next three to four years, so it is important we plan for the future expansion of the cemetery now,” Shane said.

“It is proposed that the adjacent open space land between the cemetery and the athletics park will be utilised to create three hectares of additional space on the existing 11 hectare site.

“The proposed extension will add approximately 15 to 20 years to the existing life of the cemetery and it will cater for different faiths. It will provide for lawn and monument burials and a variety of memorial gardens.

“The extension will be fully funded by the ACT Public Cemeteries Authority, with no cost to the ACT Government. The work will be conducted in stages to minimise disruption, with the first stage estimated to cost $500,000. Subsequent staged development will occur as required.

“Woden cemetery was established in 1936 and plays an important role in our city’s history. A $200,000 upgrade was completed last year, making improvements to the heritage-listed office building, establishing a new babies’ memorial garden and installing an information kiosk. An extension of the mausoleum is also underway.

“In recent years, the Authority has been working on plans for a new Southern Memorial Park proposed for Mugga Lane, Tuggeranong. This project is still some years away and the proposed extension to Woden cemetery will ensure it can continue to cater for the needs of south Canberra until the Southern Memorial Park can come to fruition.

“I encourage interested members of the public to view the proposed expansion and provide their comments. Feedback is sought on issues such as the location, layout, service offerings and mitigation of impacts of the extension.

Consultation closes on Monday 8 June 2015. For more information, including a plan of the staged extension, please visit canberracemeteries.com.au or timetotalk.act.gov.au