SALEM — The city is working on a master plan for the historic Greenlawn Cemetery that will guide future improvements, expansion, and long-term management of the property.
The Department of Public Services, Cemetery Division, and Greenlawn Cemetery Master Plan consulting team will hold a virtual public forum on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. to discuss the plan’s draft recommendations. The forum will include public comment, polling opportunities, and discussions aimed at finalizing the master-plan document.
“It’s been really fascinating learning about the history of this property and the many people who have interest in this site,” said the city’s landscape architect, Martha Lyon, at a roundtable discussion last February.
Lyon leads the city’s consultant team, which has expertise in developing master plans for historic cemeteries. This team is working with the city to make upgrades to Greenlawn Cemetery.
Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery, a group of volunteers who share a love for the cemetery, are lobbying for some of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to be used for upgrades to the 55-acre property. According to the group’s website, the city has received approximately $35 million in ARPA funding; the city will receive this funding over the next two years and must spend it by Dec. 31, 2024.
“We need your stories about how Greenlawn helped you to survive (or thrive) during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the group said. “With the Greenlawn Cemetery Master Plan almost completed to provide a guide to preserving and improving this valuable community asset for future generations, we need to make a strong case for implementing the master plan’s anticipated recommendations.”
At this point, the city is still trying to determine what this ARPA funding will be used for. A virtual meeting to discuss the funding will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“Our goal now is to seek input and feedback from our community to help structure the city’s use of this funding,” said Mayor Kimberley Driscoll. “Salem residents rightly expect that we will be transparent and thoughtful with respect to this federal funding.”
Greenlawn Cemetery is located at 57 Orne St. The city’s largest cemetery, it was established in 1807 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
