Construction is underway at Hillside Cemetery in Kamloops to create more space for the deceased, while also providing a cash injection for the City itself.

A new 5-thousand square foot mausoleum is being built at the site, backing on to an existing one already there, more than doubling the available space.

“You’ll be able to access it and continue to walk straight through,” noted Civic Facilities Manager Jeff Putnam.  “From terms of constructability and for customer service, it really convenient to have them under one combined roof.”

The City of Kamloops — unlike the other mausoleums — is going to build and operate this one itself.

Putnam says while the cost of building the new mausoleum is around $6 million dollars, the City is actually going to make money on the venture.

“With the market pricing for crypts and cremated niches, looks like our preliminary estimates is the revenue would be between 13 and 15 million.”

The city expects the new mausoleum to be finished sometime early next year, with pre-sales of the spaces set to launch sometime this fall.

Putnam says this will also include potential pricing changes for those hoping to purchase a plot.

“Were in the process of talking with a consultant who’s very knowledgeable in the market for mausoleum pricing for crypts and niches,” said Putnam. “We’re just working on that [pricing] right now, and we’re probably going to have more information to present to council within a couple of months.”

This comes as Kamloops council put a pause on plans to block the re-sale of plots which people purchase.

At issue was language in the draft bylaw changes that would have restricted the re-sale of cemetery to direct family members, something flagged by Councillor Nancy Bepple during the Tuesday council meeting.

“The bylaw would not serve somebody like myself, because once your parents are dead, you don’t have a spouse, you don’t have children, you don’t have an immediate family member,” argued Bepple.

That position is expected to be accommodated once city staff brings back the revised plot pricing schedule to council.