The subject of an ash-scattering site in Surrey was raised on the B.C. election campaign trail Friday, Sept. 27, with Brownsville Bar Park identified as a possible place to build a pier for such activity on the Fraser River.
Hindus and Sikhs believe cremains, or cremated ashes, must be scattered in water.
A "Farewell Gardens" site for ash-scattering was pushed in 2021 by then-mayor Doug McCallum, who on Friday morning criticized the current Surrey administration for not getting the pier built at the Bridgeview waterfront park, off Old Yale Road.
“When I was mayor," McCallum charged in an email sent to news outlets, "we made sure everything was in place to build Farewell Gardens. We worked with the province, the Port Authority, and secured city approvals to provide a safe, dedicated place for ash-scattering ceremonies. It’s been over two years since those approvals were granted, and yet the site hasn’t been built under Mayor Locke’s leadership."
But city hall responded Friday afternoon with a "clarification," saying "inaccurate information has been circulated regarding the approval and establishment of an ash-scattering site in Surrey."
On Thursday, BC NDP candidates in Surrey — Baltej Dhillon in Surrey-Serpentine River and Rachna Singh in Surrey North — announced “a new commitment to remove barriers that prevent families from practicing their religious and cultural funeral rites after they’ve lost a loved one." The party promises to work toward "making ash scattering areas and sites accessible in waters across the province, beginning in Surrey.”
During McCallum's administration in 2021, the city hall media release says, staff was asked to meet with the Five Rivers Community Services Society about the possibility of building a pier for ash scattering at Brownsville Park.
"Under the direction of the previous Mayor, the pier would be funded privately through the Five Rivers Society," the statement reads. "While further discussions occurred, no agreement was reached on funding the project. It is also important to note that this matter was never discussed by the previous Council as a whole, nor did the previous Council provide any approvals to move forward with this project."
Recently, staff "initiated dialogue" with the province regarding requirements to allow for mourning families to spread ashes of their loved ones, according to the memo from city hall.
"The province has advised the city that a dedicated dock is needed for this purpose. Staff are preparing a report for Council. The report would outline the steps required to allow for the scattering of ashes and a cost estimate for the construction of the pier. The report will be presented to Council this fall for consideration."
