More than 1300 signatories are asking the City of Launceston council to not remove ornaments and other sentimental items from graves in three areas of Carr Villa Memorial Park.
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A change.org petition was launched about two weeks ago after signs popped up in the cemetery stating what was allowed on certain grave sites and so far 1328 people have signed it.
The signs state only a plastic vase is permitted at each plot site in Claygrove, Kooyong and the Rose Gardens area due to safety reasons for staff and visitors.
The council, who manage the cemetery, remain adamant the policy was not new and it was not the first time a reminder had been given.
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Launceston's Meygan Brown said she created the petition because each week she visited six graves in the rose gardens and had never seen the signs before.
"Two and a half, three years ago, my father got put there and we asked them specifically when we were there, putting him in, if we were allowed to decorate and they said 'yes, by all means'.
"So that's what we've done, we've put down a few little ornaments for each grave for our people that have passed to make it look nice and reflect on who they were.
"They never mentioned that we would eventually have to take this away, they just said that it was 'okay to decorate as long as we stay within our area'," she said.
"The thing that I really don't want to be removed, because specifically for me, my father was called Kermit. So we have little frogs and those are the sort of things that I don't want to take away."
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The signs do not state when the items need to be removed by or what will happen if they are not. The council has also not answered those questions.
The council's acting chief executive officer Louise Foster said the reminders were routinely issued and the majority of families understood the reasoning and worked cooperatively with the council.
She said each area of the cemetery had different standards, but these were discussed in detail with families when they decided on a place of interment.
"Families often choose areas of Carr Villa specifically because these standards are in place, and that is why we issue reminders about breakable items from time to time - so that everyone's needs are respected," she said.
"We find we have excellent cooperation and compliance when these notices are posted, and we rarely have to approach families to discuss specific issues.
"We'd encourage anyone with concerns to reach out to us and we'll be happy to talk them through the facts."
The petition will be tabled and considered by the council if it meets the criteria in the Local Government Act.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
