Families relieved Montreal cemetery to reopen on Sundays for first time since pandemic started
Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery has decided to reopen on Sundays much to the relief of many families.
Since the pandemic began, the cemetery remained closed to people wishing to pay their respects to their loved ones.
It's been a long, hard fought battle for Michael Musacchio.
He comes to the cemetery to visit his daughter, Vanessa, but the Sunday closure made that a lot harder.
“I started back at work six days a week. I was never able to come so I decided that this was unjust. Every other cemetery in Montreal, and Canada for that fact, were [open] seven days a week,” he told CTV News.
He spent countless hours trying to get answers and to get the cemetery to open on Sundays.
“I work all day and then devote my time to emailing. I've emailed everybody,” he said.
Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery will now be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Sundays, a major relief for Musacchio and other families as well.
Tracey Timmoney’s father died right as the pandemic hit last year. Not being able to visit on Sunday meant a lot of logistical challenges.
“It made it difficult. It made it very, very difficult especially to bring my mom,” she said.
“I would have to arrange it somehow on a Saturday and if a Saturday didn't work, if the weather wasn't that great, well, then we had to wait for the following week.”
But what they both still question are the reasons given by the cemetery for why it closed.
Musacchio said cemetery officials told him it was so the facilities could be disinfected and cleaned.
Patrick Chartrand, who works at the cemetery and is a union representative, said it's not true that employees disinfect on Sundays, and claimed it was all about saving money.
“The truth is it’s purely economic. We save the salaries of the security guards,” he said in an interview.
CTV News reached out to cemetery officials for comment but did not hear back at press time.
“For me, this is a way to honour her,” said Musacchio, who, like other families, have some peace of mind and are able to now pay their respects every day of the week.
“I think it's just something that should have been done from the beginning. I fought because it's something that was not right.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.