Cemetery plans new multimillion-dollar function complex with cafe and shop

It’s the Adelaide cemetery with more than 500,000 visitors a year — and it plans to build a new multimillion-dollar centre with a cafe and shops to keep them all happy.

• Sculpture turning heads at Centennial Park
• Centennial Park Cemetery selling graves

Three function rooms, a cafe and shop are part of a major new proposal by the Centennial Park Cemetery Authority to improve facilities for half a million annual visitors at its Pasadena site.

Under plans lodged with the City of Mitcham council assessment panel, the Cemetery Authority will demolish a longstanding building and replace it with the multimillion-dollar function centre for after funeral gatherings.

Cemetery chief executive Janet Miller said long-term plans to build a 115-seat cafe within the glass and brick Norman McLeay building — named after two former Cemetery directors — had been abandoned and a total rebuild was now considered the best option.

“The Norman McLeay building was built in the 1980s and has been leaking for some time,” she said.

Norman McLeay Building at Centennial Park Cemetery to be demolished for a new function complex, cafe, shop, kitchens and kids playground at Pasadena.

“It was formerly used just to house the Book of Remembrance but we’ve moved that out.

‘Just to be clear this is not the main Jubilee complex which is an award-winning heritage listed building.”

Ms Miller said the function rooms and cafe, with indoor and outdoor seating would provide a service to “all park visitors”.

“This is a beautiful place to visit and we have people strolling through just for a walk and to be among the lovely gardens, pathways and to check out our magnificent sculptures.” she said.

“We are changing the way the cemetery spaces are perceived by the community and the way they are used.

“Cemeteries are fascinating, historical places and adding the cafe and shop will just add to people’s enjoyment of the park.”

Ms Miller, who has been in charge of Centennial Park for over three years, said she wanted to make it the “pre-eminent” cemetery in South Australia.

Centennial Park Cemetery Authority plans by architect Studio S2 for a new function complex at Pasadena.

She said no thought had been given as yet to naming the new complex or what might be sold on the premises.

“Whatever we sell will be appropriate,” Ms Miller added.

“I imagine it will be candles, cards and jewellery, things like that but totally appropriate to what we do.

“We want to do everything to be respectful to the families here.”

Architects Studio S2 based at Unley have lodged plans on behalf of CPCA and will oversee the project if approved.

The period for public comment period closed last week.

Ms Miller said the cost of the project would remain confidential until plans had been approved and a contract signed.

“We wouldn’t be looking to go out to tender for a builder until the end of this year and then looking at a finish project by the end of 2020,” she said.

Centennial Park Cemetery Authority plans by architect Studio S2 for a new function complex including cafe, shop, kitchens and kids playground at Pasadena.