May 5th 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. This victory was won largely through the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers, and over than 7,600 Canadian soldiers died in the effort. Every year since 1946, the Dutch government has sent thousands of tulips in thanks to Canada.
The article “The Scattering Garden: Providing a Place of Beauty and Resonance” first appeared in the Cremationist Magazine (copyright CANA 2020). It was written by Heidi Redman and Richard Cook.
More North Americans than ever are scattering their loved ones’ ashes. Every year, thousands of cremated remains are scattered across the landscapes of North America.
It was a big day for one of LEES+Associate’s flagship projects!
The Minister of Veteran’s Affairs, Lawrence MacAulay was at the Veteran’s Cemetery (previously known as God’s Acre) in Esquimalt, BC to celebrate the completion of significant upgrades to this sacred burial ground.
Originally a burial ground for Canadian Navy men and women,
LEES+Associates is excited to be expanding our knowledge and skillset in the realm of accessibility and universal design in the outdoor environment. One of our staff, Ivy Smith has recently become an RHFAC (Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™) Professional and is one of the first members in Canada to achieve this designation.
Her training with the Rick Hansen Foundation has given her an expanded perspective of the built environment.
Last month LEES+Associates attended the annual British Columbia Funeral Association (BCFA) Conference and Exhibitor’s Showcase in Kelowna, BC.
While in Kelowna, our staff took the opportunity to visit the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery to check out the more than 150 year old cemetery’s newest section for cremated remains and above ground crypts.
Photos of Section T, the latest expansion area at Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria, BC
Earlier this week, Erik Lees joined radio host J’lyn Nye on Edmonton’s 630 CHED to discuss green burial, the growing focus on natural burial practices and more.
Erik, who is a board member of the Green Burial Society of Canada, explained the basic guidelines for green burial and emerging burial trends
Listen to the clip below for the entire discussion.
Congratulations to our colleague Josh Bernsen who has recently become a member of the British Columbia Society Of Landscape Architects (BCSLA) and a registered landscape architect in BC.
Growing up in a small agricultural community in Southern California, Josh credits working on the family alfalfa and wheat farm,
What stunning aerial views of Beaver Lake!
As work on the restoration plans for Beaver Lake in Vancouver’s Stanley Park continues, the project team was out at the site performing an ecological assessment.
Stewart Denny and Ali Canning from the LEES+Associate team, along with biologist Chris Lee from AquaTerra can be seen in this drone footage wading in the bog.
There is an excellent article in the Vancouver Sun on preparing for death, and the women leading the charge to change the way we think about death – Read it here.
Also, February was the coldest month on record for Metro Vancouver, so here are some frosty plant shots to remember the cold days by.