The Area News spoke with Manjit Singh Lally, secretary of the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Society in Griffith for his opinion on the new crematorium to be constructed on Rifle Range Road.

Mr Lally spoke of his, and the community’s, frustration of having to arrange cremations at Wagga Wagga or Shepparton – the closest options for Griffith residents.

“Ninety percent of the Indian community do cremations,” Mr Lally said.

“We are the second-largest community. We need a crematorium.”

According to Griffith City Council’s breakdown of their financial plan for the cemetery and crematorium, they estimate a finish date of 2023 for staged construction.

When asked whether that timeline was good enough for the Sikh community, Mr Lally responded:

“The sooner the better.”

When in 2011 Mr Lally and the Sikh community presented Griffith Council with a petition for a crematorium to be constructed, nothing had been put into writing.

Mr Lally however noted that, as the budget and timeline have been put to paper, he feels more confident that the construction will soon begin.

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The Area News also spoke with Greg Collier of Collier Trenerry in Griffith who likewise spoke of frustrations in the industry, particularly regarding Griffith City Council’s apparent refusal to listen to his advice and accept his proposal.

“I put a proposal to them of going into a joint-venture with them for a crematorium on Batista Estate,” Mr Collier said.

Mr Collier said that he took Mayor John Dal Broi and General Manager Brett Stonestreet out to the site, who gave “no objections.”

“What annoys me about council is that I didn’t get a response.”

Mr Collier noted that without support from funeral directors, Griffith City Council would be “dead ducks in the water”.