City plans signage, gazebo ideas and PVC memorial crosses for 97 unmarked graves

Jackqueline Cleveland, deputy city secretary for the city of Cleveland, told the Parks and Recreation Board she has installed section-identification signs and message boards in the city cemeteries and is preparing further enhancements, including a potential gazebo at Cleveland Memorial Gardens.

"We have 10 signs located at Cleveland Memorial Garden Cemetery," Cleveland said, describing the 16-by-9 industrial-grade, UV-protected, double-sided signs mounted on 8-foot U-channel posts cemented two feet into the ground. She said the city placed 25 signs at Cleveland Memorial, with 12 already installed and 13 remaining to be completed by the end of the week.

Cleveland said the gazebo concept is for families to gather for small graveside services, memorial ceremonies or moments of reflection, but that available space in the proposed area is limited and the structure would likely need to be more vertical than typical park gazebos.

The presentation also covered a plan to place memorial crosses at graves with no names or dates on record. "These graves have no known identification and there is no record of individual's name or dates of death. As a gesture of honor, dignity, and respect, memorial crosses will be placed at these grave sites," Cleveland said. She reported counts of unmarked graves as 29 at Cleveland Memorial and 68 at Cleveland Memorial Gardens, a total of 97.

Robert Carter described the fabrication and community plan: "Last Monday, Robert and I went to Home Depot, bought all the materials necessary to do the crosses. Uh we have a memorandum understanding with TDC and they're going to uh erect and build all of the crosses for us." Carter said the crosses will be made from PVC for durability and that the city will coordinate with churches and community volunteers to install them after fabrication and approval from the TDC warden.

Board members asked why graves are unmarked; speakers said temporary markers fade and that some families in earlier decades could not afford headstones. Cleveland and Carter said the city will finish sign installations and move forward with the crosses once TDC begins construction and the city completes necessary approvals.

Next steps: city staff will complete remaining sign installations, finalize gazebo measurements if pursued, and coordinate with TDC and community volunteers on cross fabrication and placement. The board did not take a separate formal vote on cemetery spending or design during this meeting.