Holy Cross Cemetery's insurance should cover vandalism repairs

Caretakers of a vandalized cemetery in Halifax's south end say insurance should cover repairs, but can't replace a shattered 200-year-old head stone.

Holy Cross Cemetery, bordered by South and South Park streets, had up to 70 headstones knocked over or destroyed overnight Monday. 

An insurance adjuster reviewed the site Friday and will have an estimate for the diocese early next week, said Peter Browne, a financial administrator with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax and Yarmouth. He also oversees the cemeteries.

"Right now it looks like the entire cost of the damage will be covered," Browne said Friday afternoon.

But that won't replace 10 to 12 "irreplaceable" headstones destroyed beyond repair in the dioceses' oldest cemetery, he said. Most headstones date to the mid-1800s, with a few being even older, he said. 

• Holy Cross Cemetery in Halifax damaged by headstone vandalism

One such area of destruction is near the grave of Sir John S.D. Thompson, who was prime minister of Canada in the late 1800s and may be best known for dropping dead while dining with Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on Dec.12, 1894.

200-year-old 'little tiny stone' crushed

A tall, orange marble pillar to the left of Thompson's grave toppled and broke into pieces. 

"He can probably be repaired, but he's crushed a little tiny stone that was sort of in his path as he fell," Browne said.

That tiny stone dates back to the early 1800s, he said. Caretakers don't know for sure because it's shattered under the pillar. 

"To me, this is a tragedy and very senseless," Browne said. "There's nothing to gain from it. You're really hurting an awful lot of people." 

Repairs urgently needed before winter

Volunteers with the Holy Cross Cemetery Trust, which cares for the cemetery, are meeting Saturday at the cemetery to start resetting toppled stones, the first step in a big job.

But to repair the more severely damaged stones, the glue needs to set properly and for that, they'll need warm weather with little humidity.

"There's a time issue," Browne said. "You need some time. None is in our favour right now. The vast majority of the work is going to have to wait till the spring, regardless of how many people and machines we put to work to do it."

'We often find liquor bottles'

The dioceses and the trust meet next week to discuss possible security measures. Browne said better lighting may deter potential vandals. 

"The area is one that's close to downtown and you kind of wonder. We often find liquor bottles in the cemeteries," he said.

Police are seeking tips about the vandalism, "in light of the disrespectful nature of the incident and given the cemetery's historic significance to our community," spokesperson Const. Dianne Woodworth said in a release Friday.