2025 ST. MARK'S CEMETERY UPDATE
SPRING CLEAN UP AND GRASS CUTTING
Spring clean up in the cemetery will take place in the week of April 21. Grass cutting will begin in May. This year we are reducing the frequency of grass cutting to allow the grass to be longer, healthier, and more in line with ecofriendly practices.
TREE PRUNING
The annual pruning of the over 100 trees that have been planted to create the arboretum in the cemetery will take place in late fall. Pruning is done to remove deadwood and to ensure the ongoing health of the trees.
CREMATION BURIALS
The cemetery will reopen for cremation interments in late May when the ground has thawed. At the same time, the hoses will be re-installed once the risk of frost is over.
STONE CLEANING
A refresher meeting will be scheduled in late May or early June to review the fundamentals that were taught last year. Anyone is welcome to join that meeting to learn how to clean our historic monuments with non toxic ingredients.
CEMETERY MAINTENANCE
The cemetery is looking for volunteers to help keep it neat and tidy. It involves walking the cemetery, picking up any debris, twigs and branches throughout the summer. Some pruning may be required including the ivy in and around the memorial garden.
Anyone who is interested please contact Sally Mitchell at semitch215@gmail.com.
MONUMENT RESTORATION
Al Ernest will be restoring and repairing over 30 historic monuments this summer. This will complete the five year programme begun in 2021. By the end of this year, over 140 monuments will have been restored. There will be some that will require repairs and restoration but the major work will have been completed.
DONATIONS
Donations for ongoing tree maintenance are most welcome. St Mark's issues annual charitable donation receipts for donations totalling $50.00 or more.
CEMETERY TOURS
Earle Waugh will be conducting his cemetery tours again this summer beginning in June. Once the dates are confirmed an update will be provided in the E-News as well as posted on this page of our website.
MUSIC NIAGARA
Music Niagara Concert dates, including those that taking place at St. Mark's, are posted on their website. Please click on this link to view all Music Niagara concerts, dates, and to purchase tickets. Discover Music Niagara
In 1998, Atis Bankas came to Niagara-on-the-Lake with the dream of founding a music school and summer music festival. He had discovered the perfect location ? one of Canada's most beautiful towns on the shores of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the magnificent Niagara River, an area of great historical significance, surrounded by orchards and lush vineyards.
Over the years, Music Niagara has evolved into a world-class summer music festival that runs five weeks, featuring Canadian and international musicians performing a variety of music genres.
The festival has established itself as an annual cultural event, with a core audience and a capacity for networking with other arts, heritage and cultural organizations within the Niagara Region. Each summer, internationally acclaimed artists come to Niagara to play a variety of recitals and St. Mark's plays host to some of the most gifted performers.
The artistic director of the Festival, Atis Bankas, (first violinist, Toronto Symphony and resident of Niagara?on-the-Lake), is a frequent recitalist during the festival in July/August and a guest instrumentalist at St. Mark's throughout the year. In addition to the chamber music festival the church plays host to a number of concerts, both classical and contemporary, throughout the year. The building's superior acoustics and fine instruments makes St. Mark's a favorite setting for musical performers and audience members alike.