The long-awaited Griffith crematorium could be coming soon, after Griffith City Council voted on moving forward with a plan to install a cremation service at Griffith Regional Funeral Services.
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Griffith has been calling for a crematorium for years, however council's feasibility studies have delayed the development of the facility.
Now, a crematorium could be available in Griffith in the near future, before June 2026 thanks to a partnership between Griffith Regional Funeral Services and Griffith City Council.
Pamela Kensett-Smith made an emotional appeal to councillors at the meeting, calling for the crematorium to be made a stronger priority after years of being brushed off.
"As some or all of you may know, I and many others have been advocating for a crematorium here in Griffith for many years ... So far, nothing has happened. It keeps being put aside in favour of other things," she said.
"A crematorium is an important facility and very much needed in our city ... If you provide this facility, people will use it. We have many groups and private citizens in our community who are waiting."
Council voted to approve a proposal from the New Cemetery Masterplan Committee to partner with Griffith Regional Funeral Services, with the funeral home submitting an application to install and operate a cremation service on Wakaden Street.
Should the application be approved, Council will look to purchase and install the cremator - which will be owned by them but operated by Griffith Regional Funeral Services.
Griffith Regional Funeral Services director Peter Woodward said that 'wheels move slowly' but that it looked positive.
"It looks like it's going to get where it needs to be ... it's still down the track, wheels move slowly," he said.
"Once the application goes in, it'll be a partnership with Council for a community crematorium. It won't be ours, but in the interim, we'll get it in and put it somewhere. We'll be managing it for them."
Mr Woodward said that he was confident that the service would be used by more once it was available, with the current trip to Wagga dissuading people from opting for cremation.
"I think when it's here, people will use it more. The sooner we can get it in and make people aware of it, the better."