New crematorium is a surprise to Fredericton neighbourhood

People living in a Fredericton neighborhood were surprised to learn that a crematorium was being built by the owners of a funeral home in the area.

Curious residents recently noticed renovations being done on a separate building behind Bishop's Funeral Home on the city's south side and asked what was happening. 

That's how Cheyenne Dickinson found out about the new business venture coming to the neighbourhood. 

"We were a bit alarmed because we hadn't heard anything about this happening," said Dickinson, who lives within 200 metres of the funeral home. 

Bishop's Funeral Home has been on Woodstock Road since 1964. It's on a main road in a residential area and backs onto the city trail system, near a creek. 

The location is one of the reasons Dickinson is concerned. 

"We at that point — and still now — had no idea what kind of health and environmental impacts this would have on our neighbourhood."

Dickinson said people in the neighbourhood have been searching for answers about what a crematorium can mean for the area, and said there's a long list of 'unknowns' that are worrisome.

She said they are scrambling for answers about emissions, noise, and smell from the facility. 

"Should we be gardening in our backyard? Should we be swimming in swimming pools? Should we be letting our kids play in the leaves outside? We don't know."

One of the other stand-out questions for Dickinson and her neighbours is how a crematorium could just open without any warning, or consultation.

Jim Bishop, the president of the funeral home, said he didn't have to go to council because he is already zoned to build a crematorium. 

And due to the rising requests for cremation in recent years, he said it was time his business expanded to meet customer expectations. 

There are three funeral homes in Fredericton, including Bishop's, and the other two already have crematoriums.