By Mark Squibb/February 10, 2023
Purchasing a plaque to commemorate a loved one has just gotten a little more expensive in the City of Mount Pearl, as council this week unanimously voted to increase the prices of commemorative trees and benches.
“The City’s Commemorative Bench and Tree Program provides an opportunity for residents to memorialize significant others and or commemorate significant events and occasions,” explained councillor Jim Locke during this week’s meeting. “The cost of commemorative items has been set to cover the cost of the City purchasing the items from external suppliers. There’s a range of items… you can buy a wooden bench and a plaque, you can buy a metal bench and plaque, you can buy a plaque only that we will affix it to an existing piece of city infrastructure, you can purchase a maple tree that includes a plaque, or you can purchase an Austrian pine tree that also includes a plaque. So, again, the cost that we charge for these is basically the cost of purchasing these items for the City. There’s no profit to be made here.”
Locke chalked the cost increases up to the rising cost of materials, noting the price of the plaques have increased on three separate occasions.
“There has been some minor price increases for some of the items that we provide under this program, and as a result we have had to pass these increases on (to the residents),” said Locke.
Mayor Dave Aker noted that, “out of respect for the people being honoured, whether it’s a plaque or otherwise, it’s meant to look good for many, many years to come.”
“We don’t want to use some piece of old scrap lumber, for example, and embed a plaque in that, because that’s really not honouring our residents’ loved ones,” Aker added. “So, the prices do seem a bit high, but we mitigate that by offering many different options ranging from $435 all the way up to $3,000. So, it doesn’t force anybody to pay an enormous amount.”
Locke added the commemorative item is purchased for 10 years under the program.
“It’s a great way to honour loved ones,” said Locke. “And you’re right, we do have a range of options here. It’s $435 to purchase a plaque and many people do that, and they affix it to a bridge, or an existing bench, or something like that. So, there are a range of options here, right up to the most expensive, which is a metal bench and plaque. And again, we see those around the city and they’re beautiful, they’re such nice additions to our city.”
The new pries are as follows: Wooden Bench and Plaque at $2,090; Metal Bench and Plaque at $3,052; Plaque Only (to be affixed to existing city infrastructure) at $435; Maple Tree and Plaque at $930; and Austrian Pine Tree and Plaque at $985.
