The North-West Mounted Police Cemetery Rededication ceremony took place May 17 in Battleford. (Submitted photos/Ames Leslie)

By Angela Brown

Historic event

Rededication ceremony held for Mounted Police Cemetery in Battleford

May 20, 2022 | 3:16 PM

It was the perfect day for the rededication ceremony for the North-West Mounted Police Cemetery in Battleford this week.

Close to 80 people attended the event, both civilians, RCMP members and dignitaries Tuesday. Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie also took part.

The cemetery is located near the Fred Light Museum grounds, with a clear view of the river valley.

Tim Popp, retired RCMP corporal and current Royal Canadian Legion Branch #9 in Battleford vice-president, was among those assisting in the event. Battlefords RCMP Staff-Sgt. Jason Teniuk also attended from the local area.

Popp noted the RCMP veterans from Saskatoon organized the ceremony.

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“This was one of the few cemeteries that was specifically made for the North-West Mounted Police that is still being used today,” he said.

Up to now the cemetery was previously closed. However, some RCMP families have since requested to be buried there, so after some discussions the authorities decided to open it back up again.

“The federal government and the RCMP wouldn’t allow anyone to be buried there,” Popp said. “So an application was made and monies were given to the RCMP, and they allotted some money to have columbariums made.”

Two new columbariums were created for the cemetery. While no additional casket burials will be permitted, Popp said, RCMP members and their spouses will now be able to have their ashes interred in one of the columbarium niches at the site in the future.

“It’s the first time it’s been done I think they said in 60 or 70 years,” he said.

Popp said it’s “quite a big honour” to re-open a cemetery, especially the North-West Mounted Police Cemetery.

“We decided to have a rededication ceremony because I think the last one that was done was in 1973 when they fixed it up and put a nice big arch over the top,” he said of the site.

Due to the pandemic restrictions over the last couple of years, organizers were not able to hold the ceremony for the public until now.

There was a strong turnout for this week’s rededication ceremony. (Submitted photos/Ames Leslie)

Popp also noted that a few years ago a number of unmarked graves of North-West Mounted Police members were found in the Mounted Police cemetery, following a ground-penetrating radar search.

Consequently, organizers were able to insert granite markers with individual Mounted Police badges as an identifier for each unmarked grave that was found.

Popp believes that may be part of the reason why only cremated remains will be permitted for future burials, as a precaution to preserve the site.

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW