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SUBJECT:
The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King Grave Site Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON, M4T 2V8 Madame Julie Dompierre, Director Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) Secretariat Les Terrasses de la Chaudire 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, 5th floor Quebec K1A 0M5 National Program for the Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers
TO:
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[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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DATE:
1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION DATE OF INSPECTION: PC FIELD UNIT CONTACT: 19 September 2011 Dhruba Subedi Asset Manager SW Ontario Field Unit 905 308-8954 Overcast, 16oC
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS:
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAVE ENVIRONMENT: The gravesite of the Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King is situated in Mount Pleasant Cemetery which is 83-hectare property located in the heart of urban Toronto. The cemetery itself, which was established in 1876, is a beautifully landscaped property characterized by mature trees, well manicured lawns, shrubs and winding paths and roadways laid out in the asymmetrical and naturalistic manner of the Picturesque landscape tradition. Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a protected heritage site under the Ontario Heritage Act and it has also been designated a National Historic Site of Canada. The King Family plot is located in the northeast sector the cemetery on the edge of one of the asphalt roadway. The gravestone of Mackenzie King is a low granite marker laid flat on the ground. Other grave markers within the plot consist of the ornately carved Celtic cross commemorating Kings parents and a higher sarcophagus-like marker to Kings brother, Dougall King, and members of his family. 2.0 COMPONENTS OBSERVATION AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS 1. Awareness Panel Observation: The awareness panel is situated an appropriate distance from the King family plot and adjacent to the flagpole. The cast aluminum sign is in good condition. The seal around
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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Flagpole
125 Confederation Anniversary Plaque. [Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
th
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[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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Coins, stones and other items are frequently placed on the stone.
5. HSMBCs Plaque / Other Plaques or Other Grave Markers Observation: In addition to the Mackenzie King grave marker the King family plot includes a tall, intricately carved Celtic cross that marks the graves of John King and his wife Isabel Grace who were Mackenzie Kings parents. Behind the Mackenzie King grave is a taller sarcophagus-like tombstone which marks the grave of Dougall King (Kings younger brother), his wife and two sons.
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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Photograph of the lettering on the Dougall King gravestone with one of the letters missing.
Recommended Action: Medium Priority: Repair the lettering on the Dougall King gravestone and clean granite to remove biotic matter.
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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Observation: The vegetation is managed by the staff of Mount Pleasant Cemetery. In summer the cyclical maintenance includes cutting the grass every five days and regular raking and the removal any debris or garbage. Edging around stone elements is carried out on a multi-year cycle or when notified of a problem. The Mackenzie King gravesite receives considerable traffic and, for this reason the site is top-dressed and seeded once or twice a year. Although the lawn in front of the gravestone still displays some bare batches the appearance has improved considerably since the last inspection in 2005. The 2005 report also noted that the Norway maple behind the plot had a dead branch and should be removed. The dead branch is still in place although it is not a major limb and it is located relatively high up in the canopy. The maintenance staff of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery has kept the surrounding vegetation in good condition. There is, however, no formal agreement between Parks Canada and Mount Pleasant Cemetery clarifying the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the two parties. Nor has the cemetery management been given a copy of the Conservation Maintenance Plan that was prepared in 2000. Recommended Action: Ongoing: Regular top dressing and reseeding of the lawn is required to address promote the growth of grass in areas of high traffic.
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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3.0 PREVIOUS CONSERVATION INTERVENTIONS 1993 125th Confederation Anniversary plaque erected. 1999 Awareness panel and flagpole installed. 2000 A Conservation Maintenance Plan was prepared for the site. 2005 Evaluation report prepared by Heritage conservation Directorate which laid out a 5 year work plan. None of the actions identified in this report have been undertaken. 4.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Awareness Panel Low priority: Touch up the awareness panel and metal stand with matching paint.
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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125th Confederation Anniversary Plaque Medium priority: Consideration should be give to relocating the 125th Confederation Anniversary Plaque to a location closer to the awareness panel and away from the gravesite itself. If this were to be carried out the touch ups to the paint could be carried out at the same time. Former Prime Ministers Grave Marker Ongoing: Monitor condition of grave marker and gently clean stone if soiling becomes more evident. Other Grave Markers Medium priority: Repair the lettering on the Dougall King gravestone and clean granite to remove biotic matter. Vegetation Ongoing: Regular top dressing and reseeding of the lawn is required to address promote the growth of grass in areas of high traffic. High priority: The relationship between Parks Canada and Mount Pleasant Cemetery should be formalized and the roles, responsibilities, and expectations clarified.
Here is a summary of the recommended actions over the next five coming years: Recommendations Awareness Panel 2012 2013 2014 2015 Touch up the awareness panel and black metal stand with 2016
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
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[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
Former Prime Ministers Grave Marker Other Plaques or Other Grave Markers
[Grave Sites of Canadian Prime Ministers Monitoring Report: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King]
5.0 APPENDIX Cemetery Contact: Ian Young Property Manager Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Visitation Centre, Crematorium and Mausoleum, 375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 2V8 Tel: 416-485-929 Ext 730 Fax: 416-485-1672 iyoung@mountpleasantgroup.com,
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