HUMBOLDT — Before making a final decision on a proposed crematorium at the Malinoski and Danyluik Funeral Home, Humboldt council wants a public meeting on the issue.
“I think we've heard from a number of members of the public that they need more information,” said Rob Muench, Humboldt’s mayor. “They have concerns and we all have concerns as well going into this.”
The proposal was first put before council on July 22, where a public hearing was held. The hearing was advertised, and any properties within 75 metres of the funeral home were notified. None of those were residential properties.
While there was no feedback given at that public hearing, council voted to delay the final decision to the Aug. 27 meeting to gather more information about possible emissions and learn about other communities’ experiences with crematoriums.
At the Aug. 27 council meeting, after Coun. Owen Hopfner and Coun. Roger Nordick excused themselves from the discussion because they have residences near the funeral home, the remaining council members noted the amount of public feedback they’ve received about the proposal.
“I've been on council two terms,” said Coun. Sandy Weyland, “and this is probably the issue I've been contacted most about.”
Public concerns included emissions from the cremation process, as well as having the process being noticeable from nearby homes.
The designer of the cremation unit, Pyrox Industries, said the system not only meets but exceeds all Canadian environmental requirements. They sent the city a report written by Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure that gave specific emissions levels.
“The emissions from a campfire are more than this,” Connie Danyluik, one of the funeral home’s owners, told council.
As for visible smoke and smells, Garry Warren, the owner of a funeral home that uses the system in Swift Current, told Malinoski and Danyluik that they’ve had no visible smoke and have not smelled any odour even within their funeral home.
The city also talked to Melfort, Wadena and Moose Jaw, all of which have crematoriums near residential areas. None of the communities reported any complaints.
Weyland asked if the crematorium could be installed outside of city limits.
“If we have to purchase a different piece of land or a different property, that's probably going to at least double or triple the cost for us, which then may make it not feasible,” Danyluik said.
“Financially for us to put three times as much money into something that we would be using maybe five to seven, eight times a month doesn't seem feasible for us.”
The funeral home also told council that it would be the only ones to use the crematorium.
Right now, Malinoski and Danyluik performs its cremations in Melfort.
“Being in the retail business for as many years as I have, I certainly don't want business to go some other place,” Coun. Lorne Pratchler said.
Like the other councillors, Pratchler was in favour of a public meeting.
“When I first heard of this, I also had my guard up and concerns about what was involved and what our future will look like with a crematorium within our city limits,” he said, adding that as he learned more details about the proposal, a lot of his concerns were assuaged.
Danyluik said she was open to having a public meeting on the issue.
“If that's what as a council you decide is in the best interest of the community, that you would like to allow people to have a chance to come forward and voice their concerns, by all means we would be there to answer questions and to let people know that it isn't something that is scary.”
The date and location of the public meeting has not been set yet, but is planned before the next council meeting in late September.
