The Town of Elon Board of Alderman is considering building a columbarium in the town of Elon, and the university wants to help fund the project, reported board members at last week’s town hall meeting.

The popularity of columbariums, memorial walls or niches built to hold cremation remains, has skyrocketed among universities across the country. Many alumni often express interest in being cremated at their alma mater to remain close to the institution, even after their death.

“I think it’s very environmentally wise to do this now – we’re running out of ground space,” said Jo M. Grimley, a member of the town of Elon’s Board of Alderman.

The estimated cost of the columbarium is $8,000, a cost which would be greatly deferred because of contributions from the university.

The town has elected Columbarium Planners, Inc. [CPI], a consulting firm based in Pinehurst, N.C., to plan the project.

“We received nothing but high regards about this company,” Dianne Enoch, Elon town clerk, said. “This company administers projects in a series of phases that they create. Everything is custom-done.”

If the board votes to implement the project, CPI would conduct a thorough site analysis of the property before breaking ground. This includes landscape inspection and design, concept design and a cost estimate.

The area of property for the proposed columbarium is university- owned. Elon town mayor Jerry Tolley regarded this as a financially-wise investment.

“There is no tax money for university property because it is non-profit,” he said.

It is unclear how much of a connection the university will have to the project, but both the university and the town are expected to have hands-on involvement.

The need for a columbarium in the town of Elon rose from the lack of a place for citizens to bury urns, which Enoch said is a common request.

Upon completion, the columbarium would boast a remembrance wall, a garden and several niches designed to hold urns. Buyers would be offered the option of purchasing an inscription of their loved one’s name, date of birth and death on the remembrance wall, an “in memory of” brick or plaque with just the name, or a niche with the name, date of birth and death scrolled on the cover of it.

The “in memory of” bricks will possibly line a walkway leading to the wall and garden and the respective plaques will possibly be mounted to the wall. The buyer will also be given the option of having their loved one’s remains scattered in the memorial garden.

“We expect the columbarium to be self-sustaining once it’s established,” Enoch said.

The Elon Board of Alderman will vote on whether or not to implement this project at their regularly-scheduled Elon Town Hall meeting Tuesday.

Reporter: Sarah McGlinchey - 10/10/07