The Heritage Cemeteries Project (HCP) is an organization that was started over twenty years ago by a group of local people who loved the roots of their local history, but who also recognized that a lot of it was being lost.
The reason for the loss of our local history is due to the dwindling use of the first churches in Saskatchewan. In the pioneer era, country churches were all over the land, approximately ten miles apart, because five miles was most likely the farthest distance that an ox-cart or horse wagon could travel reasonably to get to church and back. However, as railroads and elevators were established, community centers changed, and many rural congregations closed down, causing a great number of the churches to be removed from the grounds.
Despite the loss of a number of church buildings, the cemeteries that once belonged to long-forgotten congregations still remain. However, as generations move away to larger centers such as Saskatoon or Regina, the cemetery grounds can become abandoned and neglected. “That is why our group was created,” explains Bryan Watson, the chairperson of HCP. “To care for these cemeteries that no longer have anybody to care for them.”

Find out the whole story on page 7 of this week's Russell Banner.